Maya 4 Basics

USING MAYA: ESSENTIALS

VERSION 4

ALIAS|WAVEFRONT ■ 210 KING STREET EAST ■ TORONTO, CANADA M5A 1J7

USING MAYA: ESSENTIALS 2001, Alias|Wavefront, a division of Silicon Graphics Limited.Printed in U S A. All rights reserved.

Maya 4 Documentation Team: Steven Brooks, Susan-Belle Ferguson, Lisa Ford, Claude Macri, SusanPark, Diane Ramey, and Linda Rose.

The images in this book were created by: Daniel Siriste, Ben Radcliffe, and Kevin Mannens.

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3

CONTENTSPart 1 Basic Features

1 WORKING IN MAYA 17

Starting Maya 17

Command line options 17

Running prior versions of Maya 18

Environment variables 18

Main window 19

Main window and floating windows 23

Maya workspace 24

Streamlining the interface 26

Working with objects 26

Object display 27

Object attributes 28

Attributes and nodes 29

Working with tools and actions 30

Using actions 30

Using tools 30

Manipulators and handles 31

Working with editors 32

MEL commands 32

Using the Hotbox 33

Displaying recent selections 34

Changing the appearance and contents of the Hotbox 34

Disabling the Hotbox 35

Using marking menus 36

Scene management 38

Getting help 39

2 VIEWING YOUR SCENE 41

Orienting the XYZ system 41

Changing the orientation/up axis 42

World coordinates 42

Local coordinates 43

Working with cameras 43

Creating a new camera 44


4

CONTENTS

Setting Camera options 45

Moving the camera 48

Camera tools 49

Looking through a camera 52

Changing camera settings 53

Camera Attribute Editor 54

Setting a perspective view 58

Creating new perspective views 59

Setting an orthographic view 59

Creating new orthographic views 59

Lighting your scene 60

Arranging views 61

Displaying the workspace only 64

Laying out the views 64

Marking a view 66

Creating a bookmark 66

Selecting custom bookmarks 67

Renaming a bookmark 67

Adding a bookmark to a shelf 67

Enabling and disabling nodes 68

3 EDITING OBJECTS 69

Selecting objects 69

Selecting objects individually 69

Selecting multiple objects in a scene 70

Inverting a selection 70

Selecting all objects in a scene 70

Selecting objects by type 71

Selecting objects by name 72

Selecting all objects in a set 72

Selecting all objects in a display layer 72

Deleting objects 72

Deleting a single object 72

Deleting object components by type 73

Deleting all objects by type 74

Duplicating and instancing objects 74

Duplicating objects 74

CONTENTS


5

Creating instances of objects 76

Working with groups 78

Grouping objects 78

Ungrouping objects 79

Creating an empty group 80

Creating object hierarchies (parenting) 80

Parenting objects 80

Unparenting objects 81

Undoing and redoing actions 82

Undoing your last action 82

Redoing and repeating actions 82

Editing object attributes 82

4 TRANSFORMING OBJECTS 83

Selecting Transformation Tools 83

Using manipulators 83

About manipulator handles 84

Using axes and pivot points 84

What are pivot points? 84

What is an axis? 87

Moving objects 88

Choosing a coordinate system for the Move Tool 90

Using the Move Normal Tool 91

Moving curves on surfaces 91

Moving a path animation marker 92

Rotating objects 92

Changing the rotation order 92

Choosing a rotate mode 93

Animating rotation channels 94

Scaling objects 94

Using the Show Manipulator Tool 95

Selecting an item’s history node 96

Changing a curve’s parameter range 97

Displaying manipulators for lights and cameras 97

Using the Default Object manipulator 98

Entering numeric values 98


6

CONTENTS

Using the Numeric Input field 98

Using the Command Line 100

Combining transformations 100

Using proportional modification 101

Specifying proportional modification falloff 102

Using the PropMod script 105

Creating locators 106

Using Measure Tools 107

Using distance measures 107

Displaying parameter values 110

Measuring arc lengths 112

5 DISPLAYING OBJECTS 115

Displaying items in Maya 115

Using a grid 115

Setting grid options 116

Displaying View tools 118

Changing Wireframe Color 119

Specifying how objects display 120

Hiding and showing objects 122

Hiding geometry 123

Hiding kinematics 123

Hiding deformers 124

Isolating selected objects or components 125

Displaying object components 126

Displaying geometry components 127

Displaying camera and light manipulators 128

Displaying camera manipulator controls 128

Displaying light manipulator controls 129

Working with templates 130

Using layers 130

Using the Layer Editor 131

Creating and naming layers 132

Assigning objects to layers 132

Removing objects from layers 133

CONTENTS


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Deleting layers 133

Editing layers 134

6 MODELING AIDS 139

Snapping 139

Snapping icons 139

Snapping hotkeys 140

Snapping along a constraint axis 141

Snapping to a curve on surface or isoparm curve 141

Snapping aligning objects 142

Limiting selections 146

Limiting selection by object type 146

Limiting selection by component type 147

Limiting selection to hierarchy items 151

Limiting selection to template objects 151

Limiting selection by task 152

Moving selection limitations to the shelf 153

Freezing and resetting transformations 153

Locking transform tools and manipulators 154

Using construction history 154

Making objects live 156

Creating levels of detail 157

Changing the Threshold distances 159

Re-ordering the levels 159

Adding and editing levels 159

Previewing more than one object at the same time 160

Notes about orthographic cameras and level of detail 160

7 MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS 161

Creating a new scene 161

Opening a scene 161

Setting Open options 162

Saving files 165

Setting save options 166

Tips for reducing file size 168

Optimizing scene size 168

Managing projects 169


8

CONTENTS

Where Maya stores scene information 170

Using absolute and relative paths 170

Multiple project directory paths 171

Creating projects 171

Specifying the current project 172

Editing the current project 172

Mapping missing directories 173

Mapping from UNIX to Windows 173

Mapping from UNIX to UNIX 173

Supported file formats 174

Importing files 175

Using default nodes 175

Importing files by copying 176

Importing move files 177

Importing Adobe Illustrator® and EPS files 178

Importing animation curves 179

Importing files by reference 180

Exporting files 185

Setting export options 185

Exporting scene elements 186

Exporting move files 187

Using plug-ins for exporting 188

Exporting to Wavefront (OBJ) 188

Exporting to IGES, DXF, and Alias Wire 189

Exporting to RenderMan 190

Exporting animation curves 191

8 SETTING ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES 195

About environment variables 195

Creating the Maya.env file 195

Rules for Maya.env 196

Where Maya looks for Maya.env 197

Modifying standard paths 198

Other path settings 198

Standard Maya environment variables 199

CONTENTS


9

Part 2 Editors

9 USING MAYA EDITORS 207

Using General Editors 208

Using the Component Editor 209

Using the Attribute Spread Sheet 212

Using the Relationship Editor 217

Setting view options 218

Displaying relationships and objects 218

Creating relationships 220

Selecting relationships, relationship members, and objects 221

Adding and removing relationship members 221

Using the Attribute Editor 222

Displaying the Attribute Editor 222

Loading object attributes into the Attribute Editor 225

Viewing attributes for different objects at the same time 226

Adding a custom attribute 227

Editing custom attributes 229

Deleting custom attributes 230

Changing node behavior 230

Setting keys for attributes in the Attribute Editor 231

Linking attributes 232

Breaking connections 232

Locking attribute values 232

Launching the Expression Editor 232

Mapping a texture to an attribute value 233

Using the Color Chooser 233

Using the Channel Box 236

Displaying the Channel Box 236

Displaying object attributes 237

Adding attributes to the Channel Box 238

Displaying component attributes 238

Changing the display format 239

Entering values for attributes 240

Setting keys for attributes from the Channel Box 244

Setting breakdown keys for attributes from the Channel Box 245

Breaking connections from the Channel Box 246

Locking attribute values from the Channel Box 246

Launching the Expression Editor from the Channel Box 247


10

CONTENTS

Linking attributes from the Channel Box 247

Modifying an object’s history (inputs) 247

Using the Outliner 249

Understanding scene hierarchy terminology 250

Navigating the Outliner 251

Displaying shape nodes 252

Displaying attributes 252

Displaying specific types of nodes 254


Selecting and renaming objects 256

Reordering nodes 257

Limiting the information shown in editors 258

Limiting the display 259

Showing all items not currently displayed 260

Showing all items (removing restrictions) 260

Storing your restrictions 260

Deleting stored restrictions 261

Controlling display of auxiliary nodes 262

10 USING THE HYPERGRAPH 263

Opening the Hypergraph 263

Understanding scene hierarchy terminology 265

Using the scene hierarchy 266

Expanding scene hierarchy nodes 266

Displaying special nodes and connections 268


Rearranging scene hierarchy nodes 272

Displaying a background image with a scene hierarchy 274

Understanding the dependency graph 276

Using a dependency graph 276

Displaying render node connections 277

Displaying upstream and downstream connections 278

Dragging nodes into a dependency graph 280

Disconnecting nodes in a dependency graph 281

Connecting nodes in a dependency graph 282

Updating the layout of a dependency graph 286

Clearing the contents of a dependency graph 286

Returning to the scene hierarchy 286

CONTENTS


11

Editing objects 286

Selecting objects 286

Adding and selecting an IK handle 287

Renaming an object 287

Hiding an object in the workspace 288

Editing an object’s attributes 288

Creating a render node 289

Altering the view of a graph 289

Tracking the view 289

Dollying the view 289

Dollying a region 290

Fitting an entire graph in the window 291

Centering selected nodes in the window 291

Centering a hierarchy in the window 292

Centering a hierarchy branch in the window 292

Adjusting view transition speed 292

Setting graph update options 292

Undoing a view of a scene hierarchy 293

Using bookmarks for graph views 293

Displaying a graph vertically or horizontally 295

Rebuilding the graphs 295

11 SETS AND PARTITIONS 297

How you can use sets 297

Understanding sets 298

Sets you create 299

Sets created by Maya 300

Creating, selecting, and removing sets 303

Creating sets 303

Selecting sets 304

Removing sets 304

Creating sets for quick selection 304

Editing set membership 305

Altering the display of sets 305

Understanding partitions 306

Partitions you create 306

Partitions created by Maya 307

Creating, displaying, and removing partitions 308


12

CONTENTS

Adding sets to partitions 309

Part 3 Preferences

12 SETTING PREFERENCES 313

Settings/Preferences menu 313

Where Maya stores preferences 314

Saving preferences using userSetup.mel 315

Preferences window 316

Interface 316

UI Elements 317

Misc 317

Display 318

Kinematics 319

Animation 319

Manipulators 319

NURBS 321

Polygons 321

Settings 322

Dynamics 323

Files/Projects 324

Keys 325

Modeling 325

Selection 326

Snapping 327

Sound 327

Timeline 328

Undo 329

Modules 329

Changing color settings 330

Changing default colors 330

Specifying tool settings 332

Specifying performance settings 333

Loading and unloading plug-ins 334

13 CUSTOMIZING SHELVES, MARKING MENUS, AND HOTKEYS 339

Creating and editing shelves 339

CONTENTS


13

Creating and deleting shelves 341

Adding shelf items 342

Removing shelf items 344

Moving and copying shelf items 344

Renaming shelves 345

Reordering the shelves 345

Changing shelf icons 345

Changing icon labels 347

Setting Shelf options 348

Adding icon names 349

Changing MEL command(s) associated with an icon 349

Creating and editing marking menus 351

Creating marking menus 352

Assigning marking menus to hotkeys 355

Modifying existing marking menus 355

Adding submenus to menu items 358

Associating a MEL script with a menu item 359

Deleting marking menus 360

Assigning hotkeys 362

Assigning hotkeys to standard commands 363

Viewing hotkey lists 364

Searching for commands 364

Changing or deleting a hotkey 365

Adding commands for hotkey assignment 365

14 WORKING WITH PANELS AND LAYOUTS 367

Using the Panel Editor 367

Managing panels 368

Renaming existing panels 368

Creating and deleting panels 368

Defining layouts 370

Selecting panel layouts 370

Adding a layout to a shelf 371

Creating layouts 371

Deleting layouts 373

Maintaining layout history 374


14

CONTENTS

PART 1

BASIC FEATURES

Image by Daniel Siriste


17

1 WORKING IN MAYA

Throughout Maya you’ll find a consistent interface and a style of working that isboth fast and easily customizable. This chapter presents these methods of working soyou can quickly launch into your projects.

STARTING MAYA

You can start Maya by either double-clicking the Maya desktop icon or by typingmaya at a command prompt. On Windows, you can also select Start > Programs >Maya (Complete or Unlimited) 4.0 > Maya.

Command line optionsIf you start Maya from the command line, there are various startup options you canspecify. For example, you can open a file at startup using the -file flag:

maya -file filename

To see the available startup flags, type the following:

maya -help

To execute Maya commands without the interface, use either -prompt or -batch. The -prompt flag issues a MEL prompt for you to type commands. Type quit to exit theprompt mode.

Use the -batch flag to run commands without user input, such as in shell or batchscripts. The -batch flag starts Maya, executes any commands you specify, and thencloses Maya. For example, you could create a script to open a file from a priorversion of Maya in order to update it to the current version:

maya -batch -file someMayaFile.mb -command "file -save"

Note

The -batch command is not used for batch rendering. Instead, use theRender command. However, -batch does check out a render-only licenseinstead of a full Maya license.

On Windows, type mayabatch when using the -batch flag. The mayabatchcommand runs within the command prompt window, whereas the mayacommand starts a separate window.


18

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Starting Maya

Running prior versions of MayaIn some cases, you may want to run a prior version of Maya. On Windows, simplychoose the prior version from the Start menu.

On UNIX, you need to use a symbolic link pointing to the installation directory ofthe prior version. To add a symbolic link, log in as root and type the followingcommands:

cd /usr/sbin

ln -s /usr/aw/mayaX.X/bin/maya maya XX

where XX is the version number. From then on, in any shell windows you open, youcan type mayaXX to run the prior version.

Environment variablesAt startup, Maya uses a number of environment variables to set the environment.Many of the variables are included in the Maya program and are set automaticallywhen you start Maya. To configure Maya further, you can set additionalenvironment variables. For more information, see Chapter 8, “Setting EnvironmentVariables”.

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Main window


19

MAIN WINDOW

Read this section for a brief summary of the main interface elements. As you read,keep in mind the following:

• You can show or hide any of the UI elements in the main window using theDisplay > UI Elements menu.

• You can also hide a UI element by clicking the hide button to the left of or abovethe UI element. To show a UI element, right-click another hide button and

select the desired UI element from the pop-up menu.

• The critical part of the interface is in the workspace panel; see the next topic, "Mayaworkspace" on page 24 for details.

• You can hide all the interface elements and instead use Maya’s quick commandfeatures: the Hotbox, Marking Menus, and hotkeys. For an introduction to this topic,see "Streamlining the interface" on page 26.

• A menu icon appears to the right of the mouse pointer when a right mousebutton pop-up menu is available for the control over which the mouse is hovering.

Workspace

Time SliderRange SliderCommand LineHelp Line

Main Menu barStatus Line

Title bar

Shelf

Layer Editor

Channel Box

Scene Menu bar

Tool Box


20


Main Menu BarThe menus in Maya are grouped into menu sets. Each menu set corresponds to amodule of the software: Animation, Modeling, Dynamics, and Rendering. MayaUnlimited has additional modules: Cloth and Live. As you switch between menusets, the right-hand menus change, but the left-hand menus remain the same; theseare the common menus.

To switch between menu sets, use the Status Line pull-down menu or hotkeys. Thehotkeys are: F2 (Animation), F3 (Modeling), F4 (Dynamics), and F5 (Rendering).

Status LineThe Status Line has a variety of commands, mostly used for modeling. For example,the central group of buttons are used to select objects and components. See "Workingwith objects" on page 26 for an introduction to this topic. Also see Chapter 6,“Modeling Aids,” which describes most of the options on the Status Line. The lastthree buttons are used to show or hide editors, including the Attribute Editor,Channel Box, Layer Editor, and Tool Settings. See Chapter 9, “Using Maya Editors.”

For better organization, the buttons are broken into groups that you can expand andcollapse, as shown in the following illustration.

... and see these menus change

... while the common menus stay the same

Select the menu setyou want to work with

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Click the expanded bar to collapse

Click the arrow bar to expand



21

ShelfThe Shelf is a collection of tools and other commands that you can customize foryour specific needs.

By creating custom shelves, you can organize commonly used actions and tools intogroups. For example, you can create modeling, animating, and rendering shelveswith appropriate tools and actions for each option. You can also store the same toolmore than once, but with different settings. For information on creating, editing, anddeleting shelves, see "Creating and editing shelves" on page 339.

To switch between shelves, click the tab icon, as shown in the following illustration.

Tool BoxThe Tool Box contains common tools as well as the last selected tool and icons forchanging views and layouts.

Click to switch between shelves

Pull down menu for shelf-related options

Select Tool

Lasso Tool

Move Tool

Rotate Tool

Scale Tool

Show Manipulator Tool

Single Perspective View

Four View

Persp/Outliner

Panel/Layout

Persp/Graph/Hypergraph

last selected tool

New Tool

New Quick Layout buttonsPersp/Graph

Hypershade/Persp


22


The space on the Tool Box that is allocated to the “last selected tool” displays theicon of the last tool you selected from a menu or shelf. Tools that already have anicon on the Tool Box, such as the Move Tool, won’t appear in this space. (This is alsoreferred to as the non-sacred tool.)

See Chapter 3, “Editing Objects,” for information on using the Select Tool and LassoTool. See Chapter 4, “Transforming Objects,” for information on using thetransformation tools. See Chapter 2, “Viewing Your Scene,” for information on usingthe Quick Layout buttons.

WorkspaceThe main purpose of the workspace is to view your scene. You can also displayvarious editors and arrange the workspace panels in different layouts. For furtherdiscussion, see the next topic "Maya workspace" on page 24.

Layer EditorLayering is a method of grouping objects so you can easily hide them from view, usethem as a template, or render them in a separate pass. The Layer Editor provides themain controls for creating layers, adding objects to layers, and making layers visibleor invisible. See "Using layers" on page 130 for more information.

Channel BoxMost of Maya’s interface elements are common to 3D software packages, but theChannel Box is a unique and powerful feature. It gives direct access to the buildingblocks of Maya: attributes and nodes. Specifically, it shows the keyable attributes,also known as channels. (A keyable attribute means you can set animation keyframesfor it.) For further discussion, see "Object attributes" on page 28.

Time Slider and Range SliderThe two sliders are for controlling the frames in your animation. The Time Sliderincludes the playback buttons (also called transport controls) and the current timeindicator. The Range Slider includes start and end times, playback start and endtimes, the Range Slider bar, the Auto Key button, and the Animation preferencesbutton. For information on using the animation controls, see Using Maya: Animation.

Command LineAnother powerful feature of Maya is the MEL command language, and theCommand Line is your pipeline to it. Notice that it has two halves.

Time Slider

Start time Range Slider

Playback buttonsCurrent time

Animationpreferences button

Auto Key buttonPlaybackstart time

Currentcharacter

Endtime

Playbackend time

Range Slider



23

The left side is where you can type MEL commands. For example, you can type acommand to quickly create a sphere with a specific name and radius.

For a longer series of commands, use the Script Editor, which you can launch fromthe button on the far right.

The right half displays system responses, error messages, and warnings. It can alsoshow echoes of all commands if you turn on Script > Echo All Commands from theScript Editor.

You can resize the width of the input and the output sections of the Command Line.

You can use the up and down arrow keys in the Command Line to scroll through thelist of commands that have been previously executed in the Command Line.

Help LineLike several other applications, you can look at the help line for descriptions,instructions, and other useful information. For full details, see "Help Line" on page39.

Main window and floating windowsMaya has several editors that launch as floating windows separate from the mainwindow. To manage these windows, note the following tips.

On UNIX, use Window > Raise Application Windows to display open windowshidden by the main window.

On Windows, floating windows stay on top of the main Maya window by default. Inorder to bring the main window on top, you can detach each floating window fromthe main window. Click the icon in the upper-left corner of the floating windowand turn off Attach to Main Window.

Tear-off menus

You can display menus as separate windows. This is helpful when you use a menurepeatedly. Pull down the menu and click the tear-off line at the top. Tear-off menusalways display on top.

Enter MEL command with required arguments Command response Script Editor button

Position the mouse between theinput and output section. Drag theresizing tool to the left or the rightto resize the sections.


24

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Maya workspace

MAYA WORKSPACE

The main purpose of the workspace is to view your scene. You can also displayvarious editors and arrange the workspace panels in different layouts.

Most of the commands for using the workspace are on the menu bar at the top of theworkspace panel. In particular, the Panels menu contains commands for changingviews, displaying editors, and arranging panel layouts.

Viewing your scene

The view panel is really the view seen through a virtual camera. There are fourdefault views: perspective, front, side, and top. Select a view from the Panels menu.

To look around the scene, you move the camera. The main commands are shown inthe following table:

Hold Drag To...

(Tumbling does not work inorthographic windows.)

Click thetear-offline totear offthe menu

Click the Close button (x)to close the tear-off menu

Drag the window by thetitle bar to move it a newlocation

AltL

Tumble

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Maya workspace


25

This navigation is available in several editors too, like the Graph Editor andHypergraph. Additional view commands are available under the View menu. Formore information, see Chapter 2, “Viewing Your Scene.”

Layout options

You can split the workspace into a multi-panel layout. For example, press andrelease the Spacebar to switch to the default, four-panel layout. Press and release theSpacebar again to expand the active panel to full screen.

In addition, you can display various editors in any panel, giving you the capabilityof arranging layouts to suit a specific workflow. Default layouts are listed under thePanels > Saved Layouts submenu. You can also use the Panels editor (Panels > PanelEditor) to create your own.

Drag right to dolly in and left todolly out.

Hold Drag To...

AltM

Track

AltL M

Dolly

AltCtrl +L

Bounding Box Dolly


26

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Streamlining the interface

STREAMLINING THE INTERFACE

You can easily customize the Maya interface to suit your work style. One of therecommended ways of streamlining the interface is to hide the interface elementslike menus and tools and devote more space to your scene window.

To hide or display elements, use the Display > UI Elements submenu. You canquickly hide all UI elements except the workspace panels by choosing Display > UIElements > Hide UI Elements. For example, you can maximize the scene view whileworking on detailed models.

In place of menus and toolbars, use hotkeys, the Hotbox, Marking Menus, andpopup menus. The following are descriptions of each.

Hotkeys Hotkeys are also known as keyboard shortcuts. There are several default hotkeys,and they appear on the menu label next to the corresponding menu command. Youcan change these hotkeys and assign new ones using the Hotkey Editor(Window > Settings/Preferences > Hotkeys). For information on assigning hotkeys,see "Assigning hotkeys" on page 362.

Hotbox The Hotbox is a way to quickly navigate the Maya menus without using the menubar. It pops up when you press and hold Spacebar. It puts all of the Maya menus inquick reach, instead of at the top of the screen. Unlike the main menu bar, you cancontrol which menu sets display in the Hotbox. For details, see "Using the Hotbox"on page 33.

Marking Menus Like the Hotbox, Marking Menus are a pop-up menu that puts commands in quickreach, including commands not on menus. For example, with nothing selected, youcan right-click in the workspace and choose Select All. You can also modify MarkingMenus to suit your workflow. For details, see "Using marking menus" on page 36.

Pop up menus Several Maya editors display popup menus when you right click in them. Typically,they include commands from that editor’s menu. For example, the popup menu inthe Outliner gives you controls for what types of information display.

WORKING WITH OBJECTS

The scenes you create in Maya consist of objects, and objects consist of components,such as control vertices (CVs), edit points, patches, polygonal faces, and so forth.

In Maya, you work with objects in either object or component selection mode. Objectmode is the default and is for manipulating objects as a whole. Component modedisplays and lets you edit the object’s components. You switch between object andcomponent mode from the Status Line. You can also switch between modes with thehotkey F8.

The following illustration shows a torus in object mode and the same torus modifiedby moving CVs in component mode.

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Working with objects


27

Selection masks

To select just the object or component types you want to edit, you use selection masks,also called pick masks. Pick masks are available on the Status Line and also asMarking Menus when you right click on an object.

For example, right click on a NURBS sphere, choose Control Vertex from theMarking Menu, and the CVs display for you to edit.

For more information, see "Limiting selections" on page 146.

Object displayBy default, objects appear in wireframe display. To view objects with shadedsurfaces, choose a shade mode from the Shading menu on the view panel. Thehotkeys for these options are shown in the following table:

4 Wireframe

5 Smooth Shade

6 Smooth Shade with Hardware Texturing

Object mode Component mode


28


For NURBS objects (objects created from NURBS curves), you can also control howsmooth the surface appears using the commands under Display > NURBSSmoothness. This affects display only, not how the object renders. The hotkeys are inthe following table:

For more information on object display, see Chapter 5, “Displaying Objects.”

Object attributesAll object and component characteristics are stored as attributes. When you model,animate, assign materials, and do any kind of manipulation on objects, you arechanging attribute values.

You can see and edit attributes directly in the Channel Box or the Attribute Editor.The Channel box contains the keyable attributes for one or more objects. TheAttribute Editor contains all attributes for any single object.

Entering values

A simple example of working with object attributes is to change its translation. In theChannel box, the Translate X, Y, Z attributes appear at the top. To quickly positionan object at the coordinates 1, 1, 1, select all three attributes, type 1, and press Enter.(In general, typed values do not go into effect until you press Enter or exit the field.)

Numeric Input field

An alternative way to enter values for moving, scaling, or rotating is to use theNumeric Input field in the Status Line. Enter the numbers in the order of X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, with a space between each number. (Do not use any punctuationbetween the numbers.) You can enter positive and negative real numbers.

1 Rough

2 Medium

3 Fine

Note

When you change values, Maya inserts characters by default. OnWindows, you can also overtype (replace existing characters) as you type.Press the Insert key for overtype mode.

Using theChannel boxto changetranslateattributes



29

For more information on using the Numeric Input field with the transformationtools, see "Entering numeric values" on page 98. Also see "Selecting objects by name"on page 72 for information on using the Numeric Input field to select objects.

Attributes and nodesAs you work with attributes, you need to be aware of Maya’s node architecture.Unlike other software packages, Maya lays bare its underlying programmingstructure. The building blocks are nodes, which are groups of related attributes. Forexample, the attributes describing an object’s transformation are in a transform node.

Why should you care about nodes? At a minimum, simply be aware that attributesare grouped together in this way. In general, nodes fall into one of these types:transform (object position), shape (component positions), input (object construction),and shading (object materials).

With more experience, you can take advantage of nodes to make your ownconnections. For example, you could link the animation of two orbiting spheres byconnecting the rotation attributes of those objects’ nodes.

For more information, see Chapter 10, “Using the Hypergraph.” (The Hypergraphgraphically depicts the objects and nodes in your scene so you can easily examineand modify connections.)

Numeric Input fieldon Status Line

Shapenode

Inputnode

Shadingnode

Transformnode

Channel Box

Attribute Editor


30

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Working with tools and actions

WORKING WITH TOOLS AND ACTIONS

We’ve described how you can edit object attributes by typing values, but you’ll domost of your object manipulation using tools and actions. An example tool is theMove tool, which translates objects. An example action is Edit > Duplicate. Thedistinction is not crucial, but you should know how each works.

Using actionsAn action refers to the standard software operation of picking an object, andselecting a menu item to perform an action. For example, if you want to create arevolved surface, first select the profile curve you want to use, then select Revolvefrom the Surfaces menu.

In Maya, many of the actions you perform have associated options. For example, youmay want to set the pivot point before you revolve the curve.

To set options, first open the option box (if available). Option boxes appear as asquare to the right of the menu label (❐). When you have completed the option box,click the action button or Apply button at the bottom.

Most of the settings in option boxes correspond to object attributes, so you can editthem later as well.

Using toolsWorking with tools in Maya is like working with a real artist’s tool. You pick the tooland manipulate items with it until you complete the operation. There are visual cuesto let you know that you have picked a tool:

• the word Tool appears on the menu label

• the tool is highlighted on the Tool Box

• in most cases, the cursor changes or a manipulator appears around the object

• instructions appear on the Help Line to guide you through the operation

Tip

You can return to the factory option settings by choosing Edit > ResetSettings in the option box menu.

CV Curve Tool help

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Working with tools and actions


31

Tools have options you can set to control their behavior. Like actions, there is anoption box to right of the menu label that opens a window with all the options.

You can also double-click icons on the Maya window’s Tool Box to display a ToolSettings window for the tool represented by that icon. For instance, if you double-click the following icon in the Tool Box, Maya displays a settings window for theRotate Tool. See Chapter 4, “Transforming Objects,” for information on usingtransformation tools.

Manipulators and handlesMany tools have manipulators for modifying objects. All of the transform tools, forexample, have manipulators with three handles—one for each axis.

Manipulator handles are typically used to control the direction of transformation.For example, you can click on just one handle of the Move Tool to constrainmovement to that axis. This is the active handle and it is colored yellow. For moreinformation on transform manipulators, see "Using manipulators" on page 83.

Some objects have manipulators associated with them. For example, cameras andlights have manipulators to control their center of interest and other settings. Thesemanipulators also have a Cycling Index. You can click the Cycling Index to cyclethrough the available manipulator controls.

Double-click here todisplay a ToolSettings window forthe Rotate tool

Y handle

Center handle

X handleZ handle


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WORKING IN MAYA | 1Working with editors

For more information on displaying camera and light manipulators, see "Displayingcamera and light manipulators" on page 128. For information on using manipulatorsto modify an object’s construction history, see "Using the Show Manipulator Tool"on page 95.

WORKING WITH EDITORS

Another important part of Maya are it's editors. We've already seen the AttributeEditor, which is a general purpose editor. Other general editors include the ChannelBox, Outliner, and Relationship Editor. See Chapter 9, “Using Maya Editors,” formore information about general editors.

There are task-specific editors such as the Render View, Hypershade (Rendering),Trax Editor (Animation), and Script Editor (MEL). See the appropriate guide formore information.

MEL COMMANDS

MEL is Maya's scripting language. Here are some examples of things you can dowith MEL:

• Use MEL commands to bypass Maya's user interface, quickly create shortcuts, andaccess advanced features.

• Enter exact values for attributes, bypassing any restrictions to precision imposed bythe interface.

• Customize the interface for specific scenes, changing default settings to settings youprefer for a particular project.

• Create MEL procedures and scripts that carry out custom modeling, animation,dynamics, and rendering tasks.

There are several ways to enter MEL commands; using the Script Editor orCommand Line are the most common. You can also execute commands in scriptfiles, .ma files, shelf icons, hotkeys, and expressions.

See Using Maya: MEL for an introduction to using MEL commands and scripts.

Pivot

Center of Interest

Clipping Panes

Clipping Panes

Cycling Index

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Using the Hotbox


33

USING THE HOTBOX

The Hotbox is a customizable collection of menu sets that you can make appear byholding down the Spacebar on the keyboard. Once you customize the Hotbox, itprovides quick access to the menus you use, hiding menus that are irrelevant to yourwork. You can customize the Hotbox at any time to accommodate changing needs.

The Hotbox has five zones: North, South, East, West, and Center. They are definedby diagonal lines.

Each zone contains marking menus. Use these menus to change selection masks,control panel visibility, and panel types. For information on marking menus, see"Using marking menus" on page 36.

To display the Hotbox:

Press and hold the Spacebar. The Hotbox appears at the location of the pointer. Thedefault Hotbox looks like the following (if you customized it, it will look different):

Note

If you press the Spacebar briefly but do not hold it down, Maya changesthe number of views displayed. For example, if you are in a perspectiveview, then press the Spacebar, Maya displays the four basic views.

South zone

North zone

West zone

Center zone

East zone

Common menus

Panel menus (dependson the active panel)

Functional menu set(s)

Recent main menuselections

Used to customizeHotbox appearance


34


Displaying recent selectionsThe Hotbox lets you display up to 16 previously selected menu items (also availablefrom Edit > Recent Commands). This saves working through hierarchial orcascading menus and lets you quickly repeat a selection. (To display more than 16menu selections, use a MEL script. For more information, see Using Maya: MEL.)

Changing the appearance and contents of the HotboxYou can change the appearance and the contents of the Hotbox while you areworking. While pressing the Spacebar, click Hotbox Controls and drag to select anoption.

Customizing which menus show in the Hotbox

The top portion of the Hotbox Controls lets you choose which menu sets you want toappear. For example, choose Show Animation > Show/Hide Animation to turn on oroff the Animation menu set display. You can also hide all menu sets except the oneyou want displayed; for example, choose Animation Only.

The display controls for other menus are in the bottom portion of the HotboxControls, including menus for Maya Cloth and Live.

Click here

Select recentcommandhere



35

Changing the transparency

You can make the Hotbox more or less transparent. Select Hotbox Controls > SetTransparency and choose a new percentage.

Changing the style of the Hotbox

Use the Hotbox Style option to change the display of the Hotbox. Select HotboxControls > Hotbox Style and drag to select one of the following styles:

Zones and Menu Rows

Make all of the menu rows visible.

Zones Only Display just the five marking menu zones. Menu sets are not available.

Center ZoneOnly Make only the center zone (A|W) active everywhere. North, South, East, and West

Zones and menu sets will not be available.

Center Zone RMB Popups

Turn this option on to display menus for the selected menu set when you right-clickon the workspace. The menu set appears as a pop-up instead of a row. Note that thefunctional menu sets do not display when this option is on, even if you have selectedto show them.

Setting window options from the Hotbox

To increase your screen space, you can hide the main and view menu bars and usethe Hotbox menus instead. Select the Hotbox Controls > Window Options submenuand turn off Show Main Menubar or Show Pain Menubars.

Disabling the HotboxYou can disable the Hotbox so it does not appear when you press the Spacebar.

To disable the Hotbox:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Hotkeys. The Hotkey Editor window opens.

2 Scroll down and select Hotbox in the list of Categories (near the bottom of the list).

3 Select ShowHotbox from the list of Commands, select Space from Current Hotkeys,and then click the Remove button. Maya removes the Space hotkey. This turns offthe hotkey functionality.

4 Click the Save button, then the Close button. Now when you press the Spacebar, theHotbox does not display.


36

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Using marking menus

USING MARKING MENUS

Marking menus are customizable menus that let you quickly access various toolsand actions. You can use them from any part of the Maya workspace.

You can display marking menus by doing any of the following:

• Clicking in each zone in the Hotbox. (See "To use a marking menu in the Hotbox:" onpage 36.)

• Pressing hotkeys and the left mouse button. (See "To use a marking menu with ahotkey:" on page 37.)

• Clicking in the workspace with the right mouse button. (See "To use a marking menuwith the right mouse button:" on page 38.)

You can customize marking menus to run scripts you have written. For information,see "Creating and editing marking menus" on page 351.

To use a marking menu in the Hotbox:

1 Press and hold the Spacebar. Maya displays the Hotbox.

The Hotbox has five zones: North, South, East, West, and Center. They are definedby diagonal lines. (For an illustration, see "Using the Hotbox" on page 33.)

2 Still holding down the Spacebar, left click in a zone then drag to select a menu itemand release the Spacebar.

In each of the five zones, the Hotbox supports a different marking menu for eachmouse button. This lets you create three menus per zone, for a total of fifteenmarking menus and approximately 120 selections.

You can customize a marking menu using the Marking Menu editor. For moreinformation, see "Creating and editing marking menus" on page 351.

Default marking menus

The following marking menus are the default settings for each of the five zones.

North zone Changes to a new window layout.

Note

Use the Restore Defaults button in the Hotkey Editor to restore a hotkeyassignment you removed.

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Using marking menus


37

South zone Changes a view in the current panel.

East zone Turns elements of the interface display on and off.

West zone Switches between preset selection masks.

Center zone Switches between views.

To use a marking menu with a hotkey:

Many hotkeys have a marking menu associated with them. For example, the defaulthotkey “w” is associated with the Move tool.

1 Select an object.

2 Press and hold the hotkey on the keyboard, then click the left mouse button. Forexample, when you press the w key, the following menu appears.

3 Drag to make your selection then release the hotkey.

If you choose the Translate XYZ option, the move tool’s center handle is selected.You can then move the object anywhere within the view plane. If you choose theTranslate X, Translate Y, or Translate Z option, the move tool’s appropriate handle(either X, Y, or Z) is selected.


38

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Scene management

For more information on using marking menus with hotkeys, see "Assigningmarking menus to hotkeys" on page 355.

To use a marking menu with the right mouse button:

1 If you have not selected an object, press the right mouse button to display a pop-upmenu.

2 Choose Select All.

or

If you have selected an object, press the right mouse button anywhere in the view.

The type of object you are working with determines which marking menu appears.For example, in the following illustration, a polygonal cylinder is selected.

SCENE MANAGEMENT

Throughout Maya, there are various features for organizing the elements in yourscene and for optimizing the scene file size. The following list summarizes some ofthe main scene management features.

Groups You can group objects for quick selection and manipulate them as a whole. See"Working with groups" on page 78.

Sets andPartitions Sets are like groups, but they have the advantage of working with components as

well. A partition is a collection of sets. It is used primarily to prevent two sets fromhaving overlapping members. See Chapter 11, “Sets and Partitions.” Note that otherMaya features, such as the Character > Create commands, utilize sets as a way ofgrouping objects.

Layers Layering is a method of grouping objects so you can easily hide them from view, usethem as a template, or render them in a separate pass. The Layer Editor provides themain controls for creating layers, adding objects to layers, and making layers visibleor invisible. See "Using layers" on page 130 for more information.

Sceneoptimization Before you save, we recommend that you optimize scene size for improved

performance, memory use, and reduced use of disk space (File > Optimize > SceneSize ❐). For details, see "Optimizing scene size" on page 168.

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Getting help


39

Deleting construction history (if you have it enabled) is recommended when youfinish modeling and are ready to animate. (Construction history, as the nameimplies, is a record of the information used in constructing an object.) To delete it,select the object and choose Edit > Delete by Type > History.

You may want to avoid construction history altogether to optimize performance. Todo this, click the Construction History On/Off button in the Status Line to turn it off.

GETTING HELP

There are various types of online help provided with Maya.

Popup Help When you pass your mouse over an icon or button, a description of it appears. Thisfeature is on by default, but you can disable it (Help > Popup Help).

Help Line The Help Line at the bottom of Maya’s window shows information about tools,menus, and objects. Like the pop-up help, it displays descriptions when you pass themouse over icons, as well as menu items. It also displays instructions when youselect a tool; for example:

When you transform objects, the Help Line displays the object coordinates; forexample:

When you open or save a file, a progress bar control will appear in the lower left-hand corner of the main Maya window to show you how much of the file has beenread or written.

ProductInformation Choose Help > Product Information to see Maya’s version and release date.

A|W Web Site Choose Help > A|W Web Site to automatically launch your default web browserand view the A|W web site.

Online Library Also under the Help menu are selections for the online documentation library. Thishelp requires version 4 or higher of either Netscape Communicator or InternetExplorer. Several of these documents are available in printable PDF format, readablefrom the Maya CD-ROM. The Global Index and Search menu items can be used tofind information in the online library of documents.

X axis Y axis Z axis

Progress indicator Action indicator


40

WORKING IN MAYA | 1Getting help

Help on... For some Maya windows and dialog boxes, you can open help about the editordirectly by choosing Help > Help on windowname.

Find Menu To find the location of a main menu item, choose Help > Find Menu and type themenu item name. The search is not case-sensitive. It accepts wildcard characters (*),but if the menu was renamed or removed, type the name in full. The search islimited to the main menu selections.


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2 VIEWING YOUR SCENE

This chapter describes Maya’s XYZ coordinate system. It also includes informationon the various tasks you can perform using Maya viewing tools. Additionally, itexplains how to hide nodes to improve Maya’s playback speed.

ORIENTING THE XYZ SYSTEM

Maya’s 3D coordinate system lets you create characters and scenes withdimensionally accurate values. In the XYZ coordinate system, the origin is the centerwith coordinates 0,0,0. All points are defined by one coordinate along the X-axis, theY-axis, and the Z-axis. You can orient the XYZ coordinate system in either Y-up or Z-up.

Y-upA Y-up world has X set up as the horizontal and Z as the depth of the scene. Thisorientation is often used by animators (and games developers) who have evolvedfrom the 2D world of vertical (Y) and horizontal (X) to include movement toward oraway from the camera (Z).

Y-up character model

Z-axis

Y-axis

X-axis


42

VIEWING YOUR SCENE | 2Orienting the XYZ system

Z-upA Z-up world begins with a ground plane that represents the X and Y directions,with Z representing the up direction. This orientation is used by designers, whosemain concern is the ground plane where their plans are placed.

Changing the orientation/up axisYou can change the scene orientation in the preferences or with a MEL command.Note that, along with changing the up axis, every menu action or tool has anequivalent line command.

To specify the scene orientation in the preferences:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences, Settings category.

2 Under World Coordinate System, select Y or Z.

To specify the scene orientation with a MEL command:

1 To change the orientation to Z-up, enter the following in the Command line:

upAxis -ax z

2 To change the orientation to Y-up, enter the following in the Command line:

upAxis -ax y

For more information on using MEL commands, see Using Maya: MEL.

World coordinatesWorld coordinates represent space in the view. For example, when you move acamera you move it in terms of world coordinates. The center of the worldcoordinate system is located at the Origin.

World space is a coordinate system used to represent an object in terms you define.For example, a model car might be defined in terms of millimeters. Worldcoordinates are also known as “modeling coordinates.”

Z-up character model

Z-axis

Y-axis X-axis

VIEWING YOUR SCENE | 2Working with cameras


43

Local coordinatesLocal coordinates represent the space around an entity. The origin of a localcoordinate system is the center of that entity.

One way to understand local coordinates is to imagine an object sitting within a box.All of the points on the object’s surface are then given with respect to one corner ofthe box. If you pick up the entire box and move it around the room, the coordinatesof the object—with respect to the box—do not change: the coordinates of the boxwith respect to the room are changing. Focus on the two different descriptions: theobject with respect to the box (the object’s local coordinates), and the box withrespect to the room (the position of the object’s coordinate system with respect to theworld coordinate system).

WORKING WITH CAMERAS

In Maya, you are always looking through a camera for either perspective ororthographic views. Think of it as being a director on a movie set and looking througha camera lens. Your field of view is restricted to what you can see through that lens.If you wanted to view the scene from another angle, you could move the camera youare looking through, but then you would have to move it back again. Instead, youcould create, orient, and look through a second camera.

It’s the same in Maya. Whatever part of a scene you see depends on the camera youare looking through. You can also use the Look Through Selected option to lookthrough a light or object. For example, if you look through a light you can display itsexact area of illumination. You could also select an object such as a character’s eyesand animate a scene through their view.

When setting up output resolution, aspect ratio, and image planes, you should beaware of what each setting on the camera represents and how it relates to the realworld.

Focal length

The focal length of a lens is defined as the distance from the lens to the film plane.The shorter the focal length, the closer the focal plane is to the back of the lens.Lenses are identified by their focal length. Focal length is expressed in millimeters or,on occasion, in inches (1 inch is approximately 25mm).

For every shot, you must decide how big an object is in the frame. For example,should a shot include an entire character or just its head and shoulders? There aretwo ways to make an object larger in the frame. You can either move the cameracloser to the object or adjust the lens to a longer focal length.

Focal length is directly proportional to the object’s size in the frame. If you doublethe focal length (keeping the distance from the camera to the object constant), thesubject appears twice as large in the frame. The size of the object in the frame isinversely proportional to the object’s distance from the camera. If you double thedistance, you reduce the size of the object by half in the frame.


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Angle of view

As you adjust the camera’s focal length, the angle of view narrows and expands.This is what causes objects to get larger or smaller in the frame. As you extend thefocal length, the angle of view gets narrower. As you shorten the focal length, theangle of view gets larger.

Perspective

Since there are two ways to change the size of objects in the frame, what is thedifference between moving the camera and changing the focal length? Why chooseone over the other? The answer is that by moving the camera, you change theperspective. Objects far from the camera change in relative size at a slower rate thanobjects which are close to the camera. When you change the focal length, or zoom,perspective does not change. All objects in the frame change size at the same rate.Perspective could be thought of as the rate that objects change in size in the frame astheir distance from the camera changes.

Camera aperture

In a real camera, aperture is the film back’s width and height in millimeters. Thecamera aperture relates to the focal length in that different film backs have different“normal” lenses. A normal lens has a focal length that is not telephoto or wide angle.It closely approximates normal vision. As the size of the camera aperture increases, alonger focal length is required to achieve “normal” perspective. For example, a35mm camera uses a 50mm lens as a normal lens. On a 16mm camera, the same50mm lens appears telephoto in nature. A 25mm lens is required to achieve“normal” perspective on a 16mm camera.

This can be demonstrated in Maya by changing to different film backs withoutchanging the focal length. The camera appears to zoom in and out with different filmbacks even though you are not changing focal length.

For more information on camera tools and settings, see Using Maya: Rendering.

Creating a new cameraBy default, a new scene has four cameras: a perspective camera (persp), and threeorthographic cameras (top, front, side). If you change a view by either tumbling,tracking, dollying, or zooming in and out, you are still looking at the scene or objectthrough the same camera. To look at the scene or object through a second camera,first change the view, then create the camera (Panels > Perspective > New).

For more information on saving camera views, see "Marking a view" on page 66.

To create a new camera:

Select Create > Cameras and select a camera.

Camera Creates a a one-node camera, which is a basic camera.

Camera andAim Creates a two-node camera, which is a basic camera plus an aim-vector control for

aiming the camera at a specified “look at” point.

Camera, Aim,and Up Creates a three-node camera, which is a basic camera with the aim-vector control

plus an up-vector control for rotating the camera.



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You can use the Attributes Editor to change the camera type after it has been created.For details, see "Camera Attribute Editor" on page 54.

Setting Camera optionsBefore you create a camera, you can set its properties in the Create Camera optionswindow.

To set camera options:

Select Create > Cameras > Camera Type ❐, where Type is the type of camera. Theoptions for the various cameras are described below.

The camera viewing tools (tumble, track, and dolly) use this value to determine thelook at point when the camera is a one-node camera.

Camera Properties

The camera viewing tools (tumble, track, and dolly) use this value to determine thelook at point when the camera is a one-node camera.

Center ofInterest The distance from the camera to the center of interest, measured in the scene’s linear

working unit.

Lens Properties

Focal Length Also available in the camera’s Attribute Editor. The focal length of the camera,measured in millimeters.

Increasing the Focal Length zooms the camera in and increases the size of objects inthe camera’s view. Decreasing the Focal Length zooms the camera out and decreasesthe size of objects in the camera’s view. The valid range is 2.5 to 3500. The defaultvalue is 35.

Lens SqueezeRatio The amount the camera’s lens compresses the image horizontally. Most cameras do

not compress the image they record, and their Lens Squeeze Ratio is 1. Somecameras (for example, anamorphic cameras), however, compress the imagehorizontally to record a large aspect ratio (wide) image onto a square area on film.The default value is 1.

Camera Scale Scales the size of the camera relative to the scene. For example, if Camera Scale is 0.5,the camera’s view covers an area half as large, but objects in the camera’s view aretwice as large. If the Focal Length is 35, the effective focal length for the camerawould be 70.

Film Back Properties

Horizontal FilmAperture,Vertical FilmAperture The height and width of the camera’s aperture or film back, measured in inches. The

Camera Aperture determines the relationship between Focal Length and Angle ofView. The default values are 1.417 and 0.945.


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Horizontal FilmOffset, VerticalFilm Offset Vertically and horizontally offsets the resolution gate and the film gate relative to the

scene. Changing the Film Offset produces a two-dimensional track. Film Offset ismeasured in inches. The default setting is 0.

Film Fit Controls the size of the resolution gate relative to the film gate. If the resolution gateand the film gate has the same aspect ratio, then the Film Fit setting has no effect.The default setting is Fill. See the following table.

You can also set Film Fit in the camera view’s View > Camera Settings sub-menu.

Film Fit Offset Offsets the resolution gate relative to the film gate either vertically (if Film Fit isHorizontal) or horizontally (if Film Fit is Vertical). Film Fit Offset has no effect ifFilm Fit is Fill or Overscan. Film Fit Offset is measured in inches. The default settingis 0.

Overscan Scales the size of the scene in the camera’s view only, not in the rendered image.Adjust the Overscan value to see more or less of the scene than will actually render.If you have view guides displayed, changing the Overscan value will change theamount of space surrounding the view guides, making them easier to see. Thedefault value is 1.

Clipping Planes

Near Clip Plane,Far Clip Plane Represents the distance of the near and far clipping planes from either the

perspective or orthographic cameras.

Near and far clipping planes are imaginary planes located at two particular distancesfrom the camera along the camera’s sight line. Only objects between a camera’s twoclipping planes are visible in that camera’s view. Any objects in the scene closer tothe camera than the near clipping plane, or farther from the camera than the farclipping plane, are not visible.

Fill Fits the resolution gate within the film gate.

Horizontal Fits the resolution gate horizontally within the film gate.

Vertical Fits the resolution gate vertically within the film gate.

Overscan Fits the film gate within the resolution gate.

1 The view guide fills the view. The edges of the view guide may beexactly aligned with the edges of the view, in which case the viewguide will not be visible.

> 1 The higher the value, the more space is outside the view guide.



47

The objects you want to render are usually within a certain range from the camera.Setting the near and far clipping planes just slightly beyond the limits of the objectsin the scene can help reduce rendering times.

By default, Auto Render Clip Plane is on, and the Near Clip Plane and Far Clip Planevalues do not determine the position of the clipping planes for software rendering.The default setting for Near Clip Plane is 0.1 and for Far Clip Plane is 1000.

Motion Blur

Shutter Angle Motion Blur must be set on in the Render Globals window and in at least one object’sAttribute Editor for the Shutter Angle to have any effect. Shutter Angle is measuredin degrees. The valid range is 1 to 360. The default value is 144.

The Shutter Angle controls the blurriness of motion blurred objects. In a real-worldcamera, the shutter is actually a metal disk that is missing a pie-shaped section. Thisdisk sits between the lens and the film, and rotates at a constant rate. When themissing section is in front of the film, it allows light from the lens to pass throughand expose the film. The larger the angle of the pie-shaped section, the longer theexposure time, and more blurry moving objects appear.

Orthographic Views

By default, when you create a camera from the Create menu, the view is perspective.If you want an orthographic camera view, click the Orthographic check box andchange the Orthographic Width if necessary.

The Orthographic Views attributes control whether a camera is perspective ororthographic (top, front, or side), and also lets you control the field of view fororthographic cameras. See also Orthographic Views.

Orthographic If on, the camera is an orthographic camera. If off, the camera is a perspectivecamera. Orthographic is off by default.

Notes

• If part of an object is in front of the near clipping plane, then only the partof the object beyond the near clipping plane will be visible. If part of anobject is beyond the far clipping plane, the entire object will be visible,including the part beyond the far clipping plane.

• If the distance between the near and far clipping planes is much largerthan is required to contain all the objects in the scene, the image qualityof some objects may be poor. Set the Near Clip Plane and Far Clip Planeattributes to the lowest value that produces the desired result.

Important Note

Setting Near Clip Plane to 0.1 (a float) and Far Clip Plane to 100000 (a largeinteger) may result in quality problems.


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OrthographicWidth The width (in inches) of the orthographic camera. The width of an orthographic

camera controls how much of a scene the camera can see. Changing the width of anorthographic camera has the same effect as zooming a perspective camera.

Moving the cameraYou can move a camera to get a different view of the object without creating a newcamera. To move the current view camera, you can use the View > Camera Toolsmenu or the mouse with the Alt key. You can also display the camera as an object inyour workspace and use the camera manipulators to move it. For more informationon camera manipulators, see "Displaying camera manipulator controls" on page 128.

To display the current camera as an object, select Display > Show > Cameras. It maybe easier to work with the camera as an object when you are moving through a sceneand you want to see the camera’s path.

To use a camera tool:

• Press the Alt key and drag the appropriate mouse button(s). See "Camera tools" onpage 49.

or

• Select the tool you want to use from the View > Camera Tools menu and drag theleft (or middle) mouse button. See "Camera tools" on page 49.

or

• Select the tool’s option box (❐) from the View > Camera Tools menu, set the optionsand drag the left (or middle) mouse button. For details on camera tool options, see"Camera tools" on page 49.

Tip

The default cameras are aligned to the major axis. You can create an off-axis orthographic camera by rotating the orthographic camera or changingthe default tumble options and using the tumble tool.

Tip

If you want to create a new perspective camera and get out of orthographicview mode, select Edit > Reset Settings and click the Apply button.

Note

To select the Roll, Zoom, Azimuth Elevation, and Yaw-Pitch tools, use theView > Camera Tools menu. You cannot select these tools with the mouseand the Alt key.



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Camera tools

Tumble ToolRevolves the camera by varying the azimuth and elevation angles in the perspectivewindow. You can also press Alt and the left mouse button. Press the Shift key toconstrain the camera movement.

The Tumble Tool options are as follows:

Tumble scale Scales the speed of the camera movement. The slider range is 0.01 to 10. The defaultvalue is 1.

Tumble cameraabout Center of

Interest The camera tumbles about its center of interest. Tumble cameraabout is set to Center of interest by default.

Tumble Pivot The camera tumbles about its pivot point. This tumble pivot canalso be set in the camera’s Attribute Editor (see Tumble Pivot fordetails).These values are stored in world space coordinates.

View operations such as Frame Selection, Frame All, Look at Selection, DefaultHome, and Bookmarks all set the tumble pivot.

Orthographicviews Locked If on, you cannot tumble an orthographic camera. If off, you can

tumble an orthographic camera. Locked is on by default.

Stepped If on, you can tumble an orthographic camera in discrete steps.The Stepped operation lets you easily return to the Default Homepositions. If off, you can tumble an orthographic camera smoothly.Stepped is only available if Locked is off. Stepped is on by default.

Ortho step The angle of steps (in degrees) that you can tumble anorthographic camera when Locked is off and Stepped is on. Thevalid range is 0.01 to 180. The default value is 5.

Track ToolWhen tracking across the display, it slides the view either horizontally or vertically.You can also press Alt and the middle mouse button. Press the Shift key to constrainmovement in horizontal or vertical directions.

The Track Tool options are as follows:

Tips

• If you change the default settings in the camera tool options windows,remember to press the Reset Tool button to reset the tool defaults for thenext operation.

• If you want to keep the settings for a particular camera operation, MMB-drag the camera tool setting icon from the mini bar into the Shelf andclick this icon for specific operations.

• Select View > Default Home if you zoom and tumble the view repeatedlyand then need to see the default camera’s view.


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TrackGeometry If off, as the camera moves an object moves at a speed that may be different than the

speed of the cursor. This problem occurs with objects far from the camera. TrackGeometry is off by default.

If on, as the camera moves, an object moves at the same speed as the cursor. Theobject selected at the beginning of the Track operation remains under thecursor.Tracking will be slower (especially if there are many objects in the scene) ifTrack Geometry is on.

Track Scale Scales the speed of the camera movement. The slider range is 0 to 100. The defaultvalue is 1.

Dolly ToolMoves into or away from the view. You can also press Alt and the left and middlemouse buttons together. You can use the Dolly tool in both a perspective ororthographic view. Use Ctrl-Alt-LMB to drag a marquee in the area in which youwant to dolly.

The Dolly Tool options are as follows:

Scale Scales the speed of the camera movement. The slider range is 0.01 to 10. The defaultvalue is 1.

Dolly Local If on, drag in the camera’s view to move the camera toward oraway from its center of interest. If off, drag in the camera’s view tomove both the camera and its center of interest along the camera’ssight line. Local is on by default.

Center ofInterest If Center of Interest is on, MMB-drag in the camera’s view to move

the camera’s center of interest toward or away from the camera. Ifoff, drag in the camera’s view to move the camera toward or awayfrom its center of interest. LMB-marquee a region and snap thecenter of interest to the center of those objects.Center of Interest isoff by default.

If Center of Interest (and/or Local) and Bounding box are on,when you drag in the views, a red line with a small x at the endpoints to indicate the Center of Interest.

Snap box dollyto A box dolly moves the center of interest to the marquee region when you use the

Ctrl-Alt-drag method to dolly the camera.

Surface If on, when you perform a box dolly (Ctrl-drag) on an object, thecenter of interest moves onto the surface of the object.Calculatingthe surface point will be slower if Smooth Shade mode is off (andespecially if there are many visible objects in the scene).

Bounding box If on, when you perform a box dolly (Ctrl-drag) on an object, thecenter of interest moves to the center of the object’s bounding box.Bounding Box is on by default.



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Zoom ToolChanges the focal length on a camera. Zooming in is like using a telephoto lens.Zooming out is like using a wide angle lens. You can use zoom in both a perspectiveor orthographic view. To move in or out without changing the viewing angle, usethe Dolly tool.

The Zoom Tool’s options are as follows:

Zoom Scale Scales the speed of the camera movement. The slider range is 0.01 to 3. The defaultvalue is 1.

Roll ToolRotates the display around its horizontal axis.

The Roll Tool’s options are as follows:

Roll Scale Scales the speed of the camera movement. The slider range is 0.01 to 10. The defaultvalue is 1.

Azimuth Elevation ToolRevolves the camera about the center of interest in the perspective view. (The angleof a camera’s sight line relative to the ground plane is also referred to as its elevation;the angle of a camera’s sight line relative to a plane perpendicular to the groundplane is also referred to as its azimuth.)

The Azimuth Elevation Tool’s options are as follows:


Rotation type Controls whether the camera movement is an Azimuth Elevation movement or aYaw Pitch movement.

Yaw Pitch ToolChanges from an orthographic view to a perspective view. Tilting a camera meansrotating the camera up or down; panning a camera means rotating the camera left orright. The scene in the camera’s view moves in the opposite direction. (The angle ofrotation up or down is also referred to as pitch; the angle of rotation left or right isalso referred to as yaw.)

The Yaw Pitch Tool’s options are as follows:


Rotation type Controls whether the camera movement is a Yaw Pitch movement or an AzimuthElevation movement.

Tip

Press Shift to constrain the camera’s movement.

Tip

Press Shift to constrain the camera’s movement.


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Fly ToolThe Fly Tool lets you navigate your scene as if you were playing a 3D first-personperspective game. The camera flies through your scene without being constrained byany geometry.

To use the Fly Tool, press-and-hold the Ctrl key, then drag with the left mousebutton. Drag up to fly forward and down to fly backward. To change the cameradirection, release the Ctrl key and drag the left mouse button.

Looking through a cameraIf you have more than one camera, you can switch which camera you view yourscene through.

To look through a camera:

1 Select Panels > Perspective.

2 Select a camera.

3 Select Panels > Look Through Selected.

To look at selected objects:

Select View > Look At Selection. The camera tilts and pans until selected objects arein the center of the camera’s view.

To look at and fill the view with selected objects:

Select View > Frame Selection (or press the hotkey f). The camera tracks and dolliesuntil selected objects fill the camera’s view.

To look at and fill the view with all objects in a scene:

Select View > Frame All (or press the hotkey a). The camera tracks and dollies untilall objects in the scene (including lights and cameras, if their icons are displayed inthe view) fill the camera’s view.

Note

The tumble, track, and dolly commands are available while the Fly Tool isactive.

Note

You can also use the Look Through Selected command to view your scenefrom the point of view of a selected light or object.

Tip

You can also use the Hypergraph to select a view. In the Hypergraphwindow, select the name of a view, then select Panel > Look ThroughSelected. For more information, see "Using the Hypergraph" on page 263.



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To look at and fill the view with a region of a scene:

Ctrl-Alt-drag over the region. The camera tracks and dollies and the selected regionfills the camera’s view.

Changing camera settingsTo change camera settings, select View > Camera Settings and select one of thefollowing settings:

Perspective Turn Perspective on so that the camera uses a perspective view. This means that thelines converge at infinity. If turned off, the camera uses an orthographic view.

Journal Turn Journal on to copy camera view actions, such as tumble, track, and zoom, to theMEL journal making the commands undoable. Normally, the camera command viewactions are not copied to the MEL journal and they are not undoable. For moreinformation on the MEL journal, see Using Maya: MEL.

No Gate Displays no frustrum. This is the default.

Film Gate Displays the viewable frustum according to the film back size. The aspect ratio of thewindow (or rendering resolution) determines what you actually see. Also sets thecamera Overscan attribute to 1.5. The following illustration shows the film gaterepresenting the maximum viewable (or renderable) area.

Resolution Gate Displays the renderable frustum for the current resolution specified in RenderGlobals. This often specifies a more exact rendered image than the Film Gate option.Also sets the camera Overscan attribute to 2.0.

Field Chart Turn Field Chart on to display a grid that represents the twelve standard cellanimation field sizes. The largest field size (number 12) is identical to the renderingresolution (the resolution gate). Render Resolution must be set to NTSC dimensionsfor this option to have meaning.

Note

If the aspect ratio between the film back and the resolution is the same,then the two resulting rendered images match.

Film Back Gate


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Safe Action Turn this option on to display a box defining the region that you should keep all ofyour scene’s action within if you plan to display the rendered images on a televisionscreen. The safe action view guide represents 90% of the rendered resolution (theresolution gate). Render Resolution must be set to NTSC dimensions for this optionto have meaning.

Safe Title Turn this option on to display a box defining region that you should keep titles (text)within if you plan to display the rendered images on a television screen. The safetitle region represents 80% of the rendered resolution (the resolution gate). RenderResolution must be set to NTSC dimensions for this option to have meaning.

Fill Automatically selects a horizontal or vertical fit so that the selected image fills therender frame.

Horizontal Selects a horizontal fit for the selected image in the render frame.

Vertical Selects a vertical fit for the selected image in the render frame.

Overscan Selects a slightly larger fit for the selected image in the render frame.

Camera Attribute EditorAfter you create a camera, you can adjust its settings by changing attributes in theAttribute Editor. Select the camera you want to change then open the AttributeEditor (Window > Attribute Editor). Depending on the camera you select, you canalso open its Attribute Editor by selecting View > Camera Attribute Editor from anypanel’s View menu.

The following camera attributes are described in Setting Camera options. See:

• Focal Length

• Camera Scale

• Near Clip Plane, Far Clip Plane

Auto Render Clip PlaneIf on, Maya automatically sets the near and far clipping planes so they enclose allobjects within the camera’s view. All objects render and depth precision problemsare eliminated. Clipping planes are only available to the software renderer (notvisible in the views).

If off, the near and far clipping planes are set to the Near Clip Plane and Far ClipPlane values. Auto Render Clip Plane is on by default.

In some cases you should turn off Auto Render Clip Plane:

• to ensure frames rendered from Maya 3.0 exactly match frames rendered from Maya4.0

• to limit which objects will render based on their distance from the camera

Tip

If you click the boxes at the right of some of the attributes in this editor, theCreate Render Node window displays which means you can map certainrender nodes to the camera attributes.



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Film BackThe Film Back attributes control the basic properties of a camera (for example, thecamera’s film format: 16mm, 35mm, 70mm). The following Film Back attributes aredescribed in Setting Camera options. See:

• Lens Squeeze Ratio

• Film Fit

• Film Fit Offset

• Overscan

Film Gate Lets you select a preset camera type. Maya automatically sets the Camera Aperture,Film Aspect Ratio, and Lens Squeeze Ratio. To set these attributes individually, setFilm Gate to User. The default setting is User.

CameraAperture The height and width of the camera’s aperture or film back, measured in inches. The

Camera Aperture determines the relationship between Focal Length and Angle ofView. The default values are 1.417 and 0.945.

Film AspectRatio The ratio of the camera aperture’s width to its height. Maya automatically updates

the Film Aspect Ratio (and vice versa). The valid range is 0.01 to 10. The defaultvalue is 1.5.

Film Offset Vertically and horizontally offsets the resolution gate and the film gate relative to thescene. Changing the Film Offset produces a two-dimensional track. Film Offset ismeasured in inches. The default setting is 0.

Depth of FieldThese attributes provide control over the camera’s focus.

Depth Of Field If on, some objects in the scene are sharply focused and others are blurred or out offocus, based on their distance from the camera. If off, all objects in the scene aresharply focused. Depth Of Field is off by default.

Focus Distance The distance from the camera at which objects appear in sharp focus, measured inthe scene’s linear working unit. Decreasing the Focus Distance also decreases thedepth of field. The valid range is 0 to ∞. The default value is 5.

1 The view guide fills the view. The edges of the view guide may beexactly aligned with the edges of the view, in which case the viewguide will not be visible.

> 1 The higher the value, the more space is outside the view guide.

Tip

The more out of focus an image is, the longer it takes to generate the finalrendered image (that is, the post-render blur will take longer.)


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F Stop The range of distances from the camera within which objects appear in sharp focus(the depth of field). The range of distances is centered on the Focus Distance. Therange is smaller toward the camera and larger away from the camera. The validrange is 1 (small depth of field) to 64 (large depth of field). The default value is 5.6.

Focus RegionScale Scales the Focus Distance value. The valid range is 0 to ∞. The default value is 1.

Output SettingsControl whether a camera generates an image during rendering, and what types ofimages the camera renders.

Renderable If on, the camera can create an image file, mask file, and/or depth file duringrendering. By default, Renderable is on for the default perspective camera, and offfor all other cameras.

Image If on (and Renderable is on), the camera creates an image file during rendering. Thedefault setting is on.

Mask If on (and Renderable is on), the camera creates a mask during rendering. A mask isan 8-bit channel (the alpha channel) in the image file that represents objects in shadesof gray. Black areas represent areas where there are no objects (or fully transparentobjects), and white areas represent areas where there are (solid) objects. Masks areused primarily for compositing.

Depth If on (and Renderable is on), the camera creates a depth file during rendering. Adepth file is a type of image file that represents the distance of objects from thecamera by shades of gray. Depth files are used primarily for compositing. When on,the Depth Type attributes (next) are enabled.

Depth Type Determines which objects Maya uses to create the Depth file.

Closest VisibleDepth Uses the closest object to the camera. When transparent objects are

located in front of other objects, turn on Transparency BasedDepth to ignore the transparent object.

Furthest VisibleDepth Most often used when a Particle Effect is occluded by an opaque

object. Maya uses the Furthest Visible Depth to create a Depth file.

Note

Changing the Camera attribute in the Image File Output section of theRender Globals window can change the Renderable setting in a camera’sAttribute Editor.

Note

If the Image Format in the Render Globals window is not set to Maya IFF,Maya16 IFF, RLA, SGI, Tiff, or Tiff16, the camera does not include the maskinformation in the alpha channel of the image file. Instead, it creates aseparate mask file. See also the Render Globals chapter in the Using Maya:Rendering book.



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TransparencyBased Depth Turns on Threshold, which determines which object is closest to the camera, based

on transparency. Transparency Based Depth is only enabled when you select ClosestVisible Depth.

Threshold Used when compositing multiple layers of transparency (which varies from 0 to 1).For example, if Threshold is 0.9 (the default), when transparent surfaces add up to0.9 or larger, the surface becomes opaque.

EnvironmentControl the appearance of the scene’s background as seen from the camera. Differentcameras can use different backgrounds.

BackgroundColor The color of the scene’s background. The default color is black.

Image Plane Creates an image plane and attaches it to the camera. Clicking the Create buttonautomatically changes the focus of the Attribute Editor to include attributes for animage plane. See the Using Maya: Rendering book for details about Image Planeattributes.

Special EffectsShutter Angle Controls the blurriness of motion blurred objects.

In a real-world camera, the shutter is actually a metal disk that is missing a pie-shaped section. This disk sits between the lens and the film, and rotates at a constantrate. When the missing section is in front of the film, it allows light from the lens topass through and expose the film. The larger the angle of the pie-shaped section, thelonger the exposure time, and moving objects are more blurred. Shutter Angle ismeasured in degrees. The valid range is 1 to 360. The default value is 144.

Display OptionsControls the display of view guides in the camera’s view, and provides options formoving the camera. You can also access most of these attributes in any panel’sView > Camera Settings pull-out menu.

Display FilmGate Displays a rectangle that indicates the area of the camera’s view that a real-world

camera would record on film. The dimensions of the film gate represent thedimensions of the camera aperture. The film gate view guide indicates the area of thecamera’s view that will render only if the aspect ratios of the camera aperture andrendering resolution are the same. See also Film Gate.

Tip

When transparent objects are located in front of other objects, you can turnon Transparency Based Depth to ignore the transparent object.

Important Note

Motion Blur must be on in the Render Globals window and in at least oneobject’s Attribute Editor for the Shutter Angle to have any effect.


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VIEWING YOUR SCENE | 2Setting a perspective view

DisplayResolution Displays a rectangle that indicates the area of the camera’s view that will render. The

dimensions of the resolution gate represent the rendering resolution. The renderingresolution values are displayed above the resolution gate. See also the Using Maya:Rendering book.

Display FieldChart Displays a grid that represents the twelve standard cel animation field sizes. The

largest field size (number 12) is identical to the rendering resolution (the resolutiongate). See also the Using Maya: Rendering book.

Display SafeAction Displays a rectangle indicating the region in which all of the scene’s action takes

place if you plan to display the rendered images on a television screen. The safeaction view guide represents 90% of the rendering resolution (the resolution gate).See also the Using Maya: Rendering book.

Display SafeTitle Displays a rectangle indicating the region in which to keep titles (text) if you plan to

display the rendered images on a television screen. The safe title view guiderepresents 80% of the rendering resolution (the resolution gate). See also the UsingMaya: Rendering book.

JournalCommand If on, all camera movements are written to the Script Editor and become part of the

undo queue which lets you undo or redo them. This also lets you copy cameramovements and use them for other cameras or scenes.

If off, you cannot undo or redo camera movements. Use Previous View or Next Viewinstead. Journal Command is off by default.

Center ofInterest The distance from the camera to the center of interest, measured in the scene’s linear

working unit.

Tumble Pivot The point the Tumble tool pivots the camera about when Tumble Camera About isset to Tumble Pivot in the Tumble Tool settings window.

Orthographic ViewsWhen you create a camera from the Create menu, the default view is perspective. Ifyou want an orthographic camera view, click the Orthographic check box andchange the Orthographic Width if necessary.

The Orthographic Views attributes also let you control the field of view fororthographic cameras. See Orthographic and Orthographic Width for attributedescriptions.

SETTING A PERSPECTIVE VIEW

Each workspace view is linked to a camera that “looks” at your scene. The camera’sposition, orientation, and attributes determine what you see through that particularcamera. This is a perspective view. Unlike an orthographic view, a perspective viewshows depth.

You can switch to a perspective view and you can create new perspective views.

VIEWING YOUR SCENE | 2Setting an orthographic view


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To switch to a perspective view:

Select Panels > Perspective and select the appropriate camera view.

Creating new perspective viewsWhen building an object or scene, it is often useful to view the object from severaldifferent perspectives. Use the Panels > Perspective > New option to create a newperspective camera.

To create a new perspective camera view:

1 Change the view of the object.

For example, if you want to tumble the display, press the Alt key and use the leftmouse button to drag the view.

2 Select Panels > Perspective > New. Maya creates a new camera in the default homeperspective position.

• To view through the original perspective camera, select View > Previous View orView > Default Home.

• To view through the new perspective camera, select Panels > Perspective and selectthe new perspective view.

SETTING AN ORTHOGRAPHIC VIEW

An orthographic camera shows the 3D workspace from the top, front, and sideviews. These views offer the most analytical view of the world space. However, theydo not show depth.

You can switch to an orthographic view and you can create new orthographic views.

To switch to an orthographic view:

Select Panels > Orthographic and select front, side, or top as the active camera view.

Creating new orthographic viewsWhen building an object or scene, it is often useful to view the object from the top,front, or sides. Use the Panels > Orthographic > New option to create a neworthographic camera view. For example, you may want a zoomed in top view.

Name of the new perspective view


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VIEWING YOUR SCENE | 2Lighting your scene

To create a new orthographic view:

1 Select Panels > Orthographic > New and select a new view: Front, Side, or Top.Maya creates the view.

2 Select Panels > Orthographic. The view you just created appears in the Orthographicmenu.

LIGHTING YOUR SCENE

Use commands on the Lighting menu to select which lights or groups of lights to usein your scene. These options include:

Use Default Lighting

Lights the scene using only a single point light situated at the camera.

Use All Lights Uses all lights in the scene, to a maximum of eight lights. This option gives you arepresentation of what the lights will look like when the image is rendered.

Use SelectedLights Uses only selected lights. If you change the light selection, the lighting also changes

respectively.

Use Previously Specified Lights

Select this option to use the lights selected with the Specify Selected Lights option.This option is grayed until you choose Specify Selected Lights. If you select adifferent set of lights when this option is selected, the scene will still use thepreviously selected lights.

Two SidedLighting Turn this option on to illuminate both sides of an object. Note that Maya’s

performance may decrease on some systems.

Note

This option does not include the default light.

If there are no lights in the scene, the scene renders as an all black image.

Note

This menu item can be turned off by picking any of the items above it.

New orthographic view

VIEWING YOUR SCENE | 2Arranging views


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Specify Selected Lights

Lets you use a preset selection of lights. Select the lights you want to use then selectSpecify Selected Lights. Once specified, turn on Lighting > Use Previously SpecifiedLights to use this light selection. Unlike Use Selected Lights, if you change the lightselection, the scene will still use the previously selected lights.

For additional information on lighting, see Using Maya: Rendering.

ARRANGING VIEWS

You can use the Quick Layout buttons in the Tool Box to select a different view or toswitch to another layout. See "Using the Quick Layout buttons" on page 63. You canalso use the Panels menu to change a camera view or to view a scene or objectthrough a selected camera..

Perspective Lets you change to a perspective view or create a new perspective view. For details,see "Creating new perspective views" on page 59.

Orthographic Lets you change to an orthographic view or create a new orthographic view. Fordetails, see "Creating new orthographic views" on page 59.

Look Through Selected

Lets you look through a selected camera, object, or light. For details, see "Lookingthrough a camera" on page 52.

Panel Displays a menu with the following commands.

Outliner Opens the Outliner, where you can view objects and theirattributes hierarchically. For more information, see "Using theOutliner" on page 249.

Graph Editor Opens the Graph Editor where you can edit visual representationsof keys and animation curves (keysets). For more information, seeUsing Maya: Animation.

Dope Sheet Opens the Dope Sheet, where you can edit event and soundsynchronization and timing. For more information, see UsingMaya: Animation.

Trax Editor Opens the Trax Editor, where you can create and edit time-independent clips of character animation. For more information,see Using Maya: Animation.

Hypergraph Opens the Hypergraph, which gives you an overview of yourentire scene, all objects it contains, and the relationships betweenthose objects. For more information, see "Using the Hypergraph"on page 263.


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Hypershade Opens the Hypershade, which you can use to create and editrendering nodes, and to view and edit rendering (or shading)networks. For more information, see Using Maya: Rendering.

Visor Opens the Visor, which you can use to show images of shadingnodes you can create, those already in your scene, and those inonline libraries, in a visual outline form. For more information, seeUsing Maya: Rendering.

UV TextureEditor Opens the UV Texture Editor window, which you use to map

textures to a polygonal model. For more information, see UsingMaya: Polygonal Modeling.

Render View Opens the Render View window, where you can test render singleframes and interactively tune rendering attributes. For moreinformation, see Using Maya: Rendering.

Blend Shape Lets you create character deformations. For more information, seeUsing Maya: Character Setup.

DynamicRelationships Lets you view or edit connections between dynamics elements

such as particle emitters, collisions, etc. For more information, seeUsing Maya: Dynamics.

Devices Lets you use external tools and plug-ins for special devices, suchas Motion Capture.

RelationshipEditor Opens the Relationship Editor, which you can use to group and

manipulate objects as sets and assign shading groups to geometry.For more information, see "Using the Relationship Editor" onpage 217.

ReferenceEditor Opens the Reference Editor, which you can use to specify settings

for importing files by reference. For more information, see "Usingthe Reference Editor" on page 181.

ComponentEditor Opens the Component Editor, which you can use to specify

settings for importing files by reference. For more information, see"Using the Component Editor" on page 209.

Paint Effects Opens the Paint Effects Panel, where you can interactively renderstrokes without rendering the rest of the scene. New strokesrender as you paint them in this view. For more information, seeUsing Maya: Painting.

Layouts Lets you specify how different camera views are arranged spatially in the Mayawindow.

Saved Layouts Lets you select a panel layout. For more information, see "Selecting panel layouts"on page 370.

Tear Off Moves the current camera view into a separate window. The current view isreplaced with the next view in the Panels list (to see this list, select Panels > PanelEditor).

Tear Off Copy Copies the current camera view into a separate window.



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Panel Editor Opens the Panel window, where you can create new panels, re-label existing panels,rename layouts, and change layout configurations. For more information, see "Usingthe Panel Editor" on page 367.

Using the Quick Layout buttonsYou can use the Quick Layout buttons, located in the Tool Box, to select a differentpanel or to switch to another layout.

To change the view or layout:

Click one of the Quick Layout buttons in the Tool Box.

The Panel/Layout button changes based on the layout and view configuration youselect from the Tool Box as well as from submenus in the Panels and Windowmenus. For example, if you select Four View, four arrow buttons appear, one foreach panel. Click one of these arrow buttons to change a specific panel.

Use the Panel/Layout button to change a specific panel or to change the viewarrangement.

To change a specific panel:

1 Click the Panel/Layout arrow button that corresponds to the panel.

2 Select an option from the pop-up menu to change that panel.

To change the view arrangement:

1 Right-click the Panel/Layout button.

2 Select a view arrangement from the pop-up menu.

Note

You can right-click any of the first six Quick Layout buttons to open theSaved Layouts pop-up menu and select a different layout, such as FourView or Hypershade/Outliner/Persp. The icon changes to represent theselection.

Single Perspective View

Persp/Outliner

Panel/Layout

Persp/Graph/Hypergraph

Persp/Graph

Hypershade/Persp

Four View

Four View of the Panel/Layout button


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To change the icon image of a Quick Layout button:

1 Right-click the Panel/Layout button.

2 Select Change Image from the pop-up menu. The Quick Layout Image Editor dialogbox appears.

3 Select an icon image from the scroll list.

or

Click Browse to look for and select an icon image.

4 Click Save when done. The icon image is saved with the layout.

Displaying the workspace onlySelect the following options on the Display > UI Elements submenu to quicklydisplay only the workspace.

Hide UIElements Temporarily hides all UI elements except the workspace panels. For example, you

can maximize the scene view while working on detailed models.

Restore UIElements Displays the UI elements that were hidden.

Laying out the viewsBecause much of your 3D work takes place in a modeling view window, you want tobe able to view an object from the top, front, side, and in perspective. In 3D, it issometimes difficult to see exactly where an object lies. The four views enable you toconfirm the positioning of objects from more than one camera angle.

Use the Window > View Arrangement option to control how Maya displays the fourbasic views. The top, front, and side views are 2D orthographic views that allow youto view your work analytically. The fourth view is perspective and allows you toview the scene in 3D. You can also access the same view arrangement settings fromthe Panels > Layouts option and by right-clicking the Panel/Layout button in theTool Box.

Note

You can change the icon image of any of the first six Quick Layout buttons.This is especially useful for custom layouts. You can select one of Maya’sdefault images or a customized image file. For information, see “To changethe icon image of a Quick Layout button:”



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You can place any tool in a view. For more information, see "Creating layouts" onpage 371.

In the following example, the display is changed to a 3 Left Split layout.

To set the views:

• Select Panels > Layouts or select Window > View Arrangement and select the viewlayout you want.

or

• Right-click the Panel/Layout button in the Tool Box and select the view layout youwant.

For example, if you select 3 Left Split, you get the following view layout.

Note

If you want one view to occupy the entire Maya window, select the view,then press the space bar quickly. (If you press the space bar for too long,Maya displays the HotBox.)

To rename and delete a camera, use the Outliner. See "Using the Outliner"on page 249.


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VIEWING YOUR SCENE | 2Marking a view

MARKING A VIEW

You can use bookmarks to mark a view for future use. This lets you maintain avariety of camera views for any scene. Maya has four predefined bookmarks:Perspective, Front, Top, and Side. You can change your view to any of thesepredefined bookmarks, or you can create your own bookmarks.

Changing the view to a predefined bookmark:

Select View > Predefined Bookmarks and select the default view you want to changeto.

Creating a bookmarkYou can create your own bookmarks to mark views other than Perspective, Front,Top, and Side.

To create a new bookmark:

1 Select an object and change the view.

2 Select View > Bookmarks > Edit Bookmarks. The Bookmark Editor opens.

3 In the Name box, type the new bookmark name and then press Enter.

4 Type a description of the view in the Description box.

5 Close the Bookmark Editor.

Note

Bookmarks are defined for specific views, such as Persp, Top, Side, orFront. Therefore the bookmark is unique to and is only available whenyou’re in that view.

Note

You cannot change positions for the predefined bookmarks.

Type new bookmarkname here

VIEWING YOUR SCENE | 2Marking a view


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To delete a bookmark:


2 Select the bookmark you want to delete and click the Delete button.

Selecting custom bookmarksIf you have created view bookmarks, you can select them as follows.

To view bookmarks:

Select View > Bookmarks and select the bookmark you want to view the objectthrough.

Renaming a bookmarkYou can rename bookmarks at any time.

To rename a bookmark:


2 Select the bookmark you want to change.

3 In the Name box, change the bookmark name then press Enter. The modifiedbookmark appears in the Bookmarks menu.

Adding a bookmark to a shelfYou can add any bookmark to a shelf for easy access.

To add a bookmark to a shelf:

1 Select the shelf you want to add the bookmark to.


3 Select the bookmark you want to add to the shelf and click the Add To Shelf button.The bookmark is added to the shelf. It appears as a MEL command.

Tip

To create a bookmark with a system-assigned name, selectView > Bookmarks > Edit Bookmarks and click New Bookmark.

Maya assigns the view to the first bookmark under the name cameraView1.

Note

The bookmark button will only work if you are in the view in which thebookmark view can operate.


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VIEWING YOUR SCENE | 2Enabling and disabling nodes

ENABLING AND DISABLING NODES

You can disable animation nodes in your scene to improve playback speed whileyou view animations.

For example, suppose you create a scene that includes a keyframed bouncing ball inaddition to several particle emitters. Because particle emission requires muchprocessing time, your animation playback may be slow. You can disable particlenodes to temporarily disable the emitted particles. This makes the animation of thebouncing ball play faster, so the ball’s motion more closely resembles the finalrendered motion.

To enable or disable nodes, select Modify > Enable Nodes and then select any of thefollowing options:

Enable All Turns on all the nodes in the list.

Disable All Turns off all the nodes in the list.

IK Solvers Turns IK Solvers on or off. See Using Maya: Character Setup for more information oninverse kinematic tools.

Constraints Turns Constraints on or off. See Using Maya: Character Setup for more information onbasic constraints.

Expressions Turns Expressions on or off. See Using Maya: Expressions for more information.

Global Stitch Turns Global Stitch on or off. See Using Maya: NURBS Modeling for moreinformation.

Particles Turns Particles on or off. See Using Maya: Dynamics for more information.

Rigid Bodies Turns Rigid Bodies on or off. See Using Maya: Dynamics for more information.

Snapshots Turns Snapshots on or off. See Using Maya: NURBS Modeling for more informationon Animation Snapshots.


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3 EDITING OBJECTS

Use the Edit menu to delete, select, duplicate, group, and parent objects. This chapterdescribes how you edit objects in Maya. It also describes Maya’s undo, redo, andrepeat functions.

SELECTING OBJECTS

There are several ways to select objects in Maya. You can:

• select objects individually

• select all objects in the scene

• select objects of a specified type

• select objects of a specified name

• select all objects in a set

• select all objects in a display layer

When you select objects, they become highlighted. Note that you can change thehighlight color. For details, see "Changing default colors" on page 330.

Selecting objects individuallyYou can select objects individually from the scene, the Outliner, the Hypergraph, andthe Relationship Editor.

To select an object:

• Click on the object, or click-drag a box around it.

or

• In the Outliner or Hypergraph, click on the object name. For information about theOutliner, see "Using the Outliner" on page 249. For information about theHypergraph, see "Using the Hypergraph" on page 263.

Note

The following Edit menu option is not described in this chapter:

Keys – Displays the available keys. For more information, see Using Maya:Animation.


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EDITING OBJECTS | 3Selecting objects

or

• In the Relationship Editor, highlight the object in the left panel and on the Editmenu, click Select Highlighted. For more information about the Relationship Editor,see "Using the Relationship Editor" on page 217.

Selecting multiple objects in a sceneUse the Lasso Tool or the Shift key to select multiple objects.

To select more than one object in a scene:

• Shift-click on each object. The last selected object is highlighted with a different colorthan the other objects (default, green).

or

1 Click the Lasso Tool in the Tool Box. The mouse pointer becomes a lasso.

2 Drag the lasso around the desired objects.

Inverting a selectionUse Invert Selection to select all objects in the scene that are not selected. Forexample, if you select two of five objects in a scene, and then select Edit > InvertSelection, the other three objects are selected instead. Note this only works onobjects, not components.

Selecting all objects in a sceneUse Select All on the Edit menu to select root objects and all visible dependencynodes in a scene. You can then treat them as a virtual group without actually havinggrouped them.

To select all displayed objects:

Select Edit > Select All. Maya selects all objects.

When you select a transformation tool, the manipulator for that tool displays on thelast selected object (the one highlighted in a different color, default, green). Whenyou transform the selection, the selected objects move as a group.

To deselect all objects, click anywhere on the view.

EDITING OBJECTS | 3Selecting objects


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Selecting objects by typeUse Select All By Type to select all objects of a specific type. In the followingexample, we select all joints associated with the giraffe.

To select all objects by type:

1 Select the object.

2 Select Edit > Select All by Type > Joints. Maya selects the joints on the object.


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EDITING OBJECTS | 3Deleting objects

Selecting objects by nameYou can select objects and nodes by typing their name or a portion of the name. Inthe Numeric input field on the Status Line, choose Quick Selection from thepulldown menu and type the name. Using wildcard characters (* and ?), you canselect several items with the same string in their names.

Selecting all objects in a setEdit > Quick Select Set is a fast way to select all objects in a particular set withouthaving to open the Relationship Editor. For more information, see "Creating sets forquick selection" on page 304.

Selecting all objects in a display layerTo select all objects in a display layer, in the Layer Editor, select the desired layerand then select Layers > Select Objects in Selected Layer(s). For information aboutlayers, see "Using layers" on page 130.

DELETING OBJECTS

Use the Delete, Delete by Type, and Delete All by Type options on the Edit menu to:

• delete single objects

• delete object components by type

• delete all objects by type

Deleting a single objectUse Edit > Delete to delete a selected object or component.

In the following example, we delete a cylinder from the scene.

To delete an object:

1 Select the object(s) you want to delete.

To delete more than one object or component, Shift-click each object you want todelete, or click-drag a box around the object(s).

2 Select Edit > Delete. Maya removes the object and the associated Channel Box orAttribute Editor from the display.

Tip

You can also delete selected objects with the Backspace or Delete keys onthe keyboard.

Numeric Input fieldon Status Line

ChooseQuick Selection

EDITING OBJECTS | 3Deleting objects


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Deleting object components by typeDelete by Type lets you delete objects of a particular type or characteristic (forexample, channels). If many objects are selected and you select Delete byType > Channels, only the Channels attached to the selected objects are deleted.Similarly, if you select Delete by Type > History, any history nodes attached to theselected objects are deleted.

You can delete the following component types:

• History

• Channels (channels that describe how the object’s animation parameter changesvalues over time)

• Static Channels (channels that are not animated)

• Motion Paths

• Non-particle Expressions

• Constraints

• Sounds

• Rigid Bodies

To delete an object’s components:

1 Select the object with the component you want to delete.

2 Select Edit > Delete by Type > componentType.

For Channels, Static Channels and Expressions, the components are deletedaccording to the selected delete channel options.

To specify delete options:

1 Select Edit > Delete by Type > Channels ❐, Static Channels ❐, or Non-particleExpressions ❐. The Delete Options window opens.

2 Set the following options and click Save.

Hierarchy To delete the component from the selected object only, choose Selected. To delete thecomponent from the selected object and all objects below it in the DAG hierarchy,choose Below.

Channels To delete all channels attached to all the selected object’s keyable attributes, select AllKeyable. To delete channels attached to those attributes selected in the Channel Box,select From Channel Box. (Instead of Channels, this same option affects Expressionsfor Non-particle Expressions.)

DrivenChannels Turn this option on to delete driven channels attached to the selected object’s set

driven key attributes.

Control Points Turn this option on to delete channels attached to lattice, polygon, and NURBScurves and surface CVs. If you select All Keyable, this is automatically turned on.The default is off.

Shapes Removes the object's geometry channels. If you select All Keyable, this isautomatically turned on. The default is off.


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EDITING OBJECTS | 3Duplicating and instancing objects

Deleting all objects by typeUse Delete All Objects by Type to delete all occurrences of a type of object orcomponent in the scene (for example, joints).

To delete all objects by type:

Select Edit > Delete All By Type > type. This deletes all of the selected type ofcomponents or objects in the scene.

DUPLICATING AND INSTANCING OBJECTS

There are two ways to copy objects:

• With the Duplicate option—Maya actually copies the geometry or lights in a scene.

• With instances—Maya just redisplays the geometry being instanced. Copies of theselected geometry are not created. Since instances are not actual copies of theoriginal geometry, they take up less system memory than actual copies.

Duplicating objectsUse the Duplicate command to create copies of geometry or lights in a scene. Youcan duplicate more than one object at a time. You can duplicate objects as manytimes as you like. This means that you do not have to build a new object every timeyou need a copy.

To duplicate an object:

1 Select the object you want to duplicate.

If you want to duplicate more than one object, click-drag a box around the objects orShift-click the desired objects.

2 Select Edit > Duplicate. Maya positions the copy of the object behind the originalobject. You cannot see it until you move it.

3 To move the duplicate object from behind the original, click the Move Tool on theTool Box. The object displays four manipulators.

4 Drag the object to move it from behind the original object. Maya deselects theoriginal object.

If you specified more than one copy (see "Setting duplicating options" on page 74),click on the original with the Move tool and drag the manipulators. Repeat until allcopies appear in the view.

Setting duplicating optionsUse the Duplicate Options window to position, scale, and rotate objects as you makecopies. You can also specify how may copies are made.

Note

To create more than one copy of the object at the same time, selectDuplicate ❐. For more information, see "Setting duplicating options" onpage 74.



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Setting a duplicate option:

1 Select Edit > Duplicate ❐. The Duplicate Options window opens.

2 Set the following options and click Save.

Translate, Rotate, Scale

Specify the offset values for X, Y, and Z. Maya applies these values to the copiedgeometry. You can position, scale, or rotate objects as Maya duplicates them.

Number ofCopies Specify the number of copies to create. The range is from 1 to 1000.

Geometry Type Select how you want the selected object(s) duplicated.

Copy – Make a copy of the geometry being duplicated.

Instance – Create an instance of the geometry being duplicated. When you create aninstance, you do not create actual copies of the selected geometry. Instead, Mayaredisplays the geometry being instanced. For more information, see "Creatinginstances of objects" on page 76.

Group under Group objects under one of the following:

Parent – Groups the selected objects under their lowest common parent in thehierarchy.

World – Groups the selected objects under the world (at the top level of thehierarchy).

NewGroup – Create a new group node for the duplicates.

Smart Transform Turn Smart Transform on so that when you duplicate and transform a single copy orinstance of the object (without changing the selection), Maya applies the sametransformations to all subsequent duplicates of the selected duplicate.

Duplicate Upstream Graph

Turn this option on to force the duplication of all upstream nodes leading up to theselected object. Upstream nodes are defined as all nodes with connections feedinginto selected nodes.

For example, if A, B, and C are the upstream nodes connecting to D...

A > B > C > D

Note

The default for Translate and Rotate is 0.0000. The default for Scale is1.0000. With the default values, Maya places the copy on top of the originalgeometry. You can specify offset values (positive or negative floatingpoint) for translation, rotation, and scaling that are then applied to thecopied geometry.

Tip

As a shortcut for duplicating with Smart Transform on, useEdit > Duplicate with Transform.


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...and you select D and use the Duplicate Upstream Graph option, the resultantgraph will be as follows:

A1 > B1 > C1 > D1

(where A1, B1, C1, and D1 are duplicates of A, B, C, and D respectively).

Duplicate Input Connections

Turn this option on so that in addition to duplicating the selected node, theconnections feeding into the selected node are also duplicated.

For example, if A, B, and C are connections feeding into C...

A > B > C

...and you select C and use the Duplicate Input Connections option, then theresultant graph will be as follows:

A > B > C and

A > B > C1

(where C1 is a duplicate of C).

Creating instances of objectsWhen you create an instance, you do not create actual copies of the selectedgeometry. Maya redisplays the geometry being instanced on the screen.

An instance is always identical to the original geometry, although each object canhave a unique translation, scaling, and rotation factor applied to it. Therefore,individual instances can be picked as objects independent of one another.

You can create several instanced copies of the original object, rather than justcopying it. If you then make a change to the original object, all instanced copiesautomatically reflect the same change.

Since instances are not actual copies of the original geometry, they take up lesssystem memory than actual copies. In large or complex model scenes, instancing canspeed up refresh time, reduce the size of data files, and improve rendering times.

Limitations

There are a few limitations when using instancing:

• Instanced lights have no effect.

• Instances share the same shader as the original geometry and cannot be assignedindependent shaders.

• Some functions, such as extrude and insert, cannot be used on instanced items. Inthese cases, you must make a true copy of the instanced geometry that you want tomanipulate, then continue with the function.

Note

If you move a CV on the original geometry, it affects the shape of allinstances of that object.

Instanced geometry does not display CVs or hull structure. The form of aninstance can only be altered from the original geometry.



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• You can only apply clusters and deformation frames to the original geometry—youcannot assign them independently to instances. To use clusters and deformations oncopies, you must make a true copy of the geometry.

• There is always at least one non-instanced transformation node between the instancenodes and the actual geometry nodes.

• When you create an instance of an already instanced node, Maya does not create anew level.

DAG nodes and instancing

When Maya creates an instance, the top-level DAG node is the transformation nodefor the instance and the lower-level DAG node is the geometry node. Thetransformation node is independent of the original object that was instanced, but thegeometry node is shared with the original object.

Sphere2, an instance ofSphere1, has two nodes:the transform node(independent)and the geometry node (sharedwith Sphere1)


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EDITING OBJECTS | 3Working with groups

WORKING WITH GROUPS

Grouping makes it easier for you to apply an action to multiple objects. Use theGroup, Ungroup, and Create Empty Group options to:

• group objects

• ungroup objects

• create empty groups (groups with null objects)

Grouping objectsGroup a number of objects into a more complex object so that transformations can beapplied to all of them at once—in effect, treating many objects as a single object fortransformation purposes.

To group objects together:

1 Select the objects you want to group together.

2 Select Edit > Group. The objects are now part of a group, according to the definedgrouping options.

Setting grouping optionsUse the Group Options window to specify options for grouping objects. You canspecify how the objects, as well as their pivot points, are grouped.

Setting grouping options:

1 Select Edit > Group ❐. The Group Options window opens.

2 Set the following options and click Group.

Group Under Group objects under one of the following:

Parent – Groups the selected objects under their lowest common parent in thehierarchy. For example, selecting a single object and grouping puts the group nodeimmediately above the selected object in the hierarchy.

Selecting objects that are in different hierarchies puts the group under the worldsince they don’t share a common parent.

Selecting objects in different parts of the same hierarchy puts the objects under theirlowest common parent. If you go from each selected object, the new group will beplaced under the first node containing all the selected objects.

World – Puts the new group under the world (at the top level of the hierarchy).

Group Pivot Select where you want the pivot point for the group to be.

Center – Puts the new group’s pivot point at the center of the bounding box of thegrouped objects.

Origin – Puts the new group’s pivot point at the origin of the new group’s coordinatesystem.

PreservePosition Turn this option on to modify the selected object’s matrix so that Maya preserves the

overall world-space position of the object. If turned off, the matrix of grouped objectsare changed and the object’s world-space position changes when grouped.

EDITING OBJECTS | 3Working with groups


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Ungrouping objectsUngroup lets you separate parts of a group and remove nodes from a hierarchy. Youcan then work with each object on an individual basis.

To ungroup objects:

1 Select a group.

2 Select Edit > Ungroup. Maya puts all objects at world level.

3 Click anywhere in the display to deselect the objects.

Tip

If your scene is comprised of many groups, use the Hypergraph to helpyou select a group. See "Using the Hypergraph" on page 263.


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EDITING OBJECTS | 3Creating object hierarchies (parenting)

Setting Ungrouping optionsUse the Ungroup Options window to specify options for ungrouping objects.

Setting ungrouping options:

1 Select Edit > Ungroup ❐. The Ungroup Options window opens.

2 Set the following options and click Ungroup.

Group Under Ungroup objects under one of the following:

Parent – Puts all objects under their lowest common parent in the hierarchy. If thereis none, then it puts the objects as the world level.

World – Puts all objects at world level (at the top-level of the hierarchy).

PreservePosition Turn this option on so that Maya preserves the transformation information of the

group. If turned off, the ungrouped objects lose their grouped transformationattributes, therefore changing their position when ungrouped.

Creating an empty groupSelect Create > Empty Group to create a new group (transform node) withoutchildren. These empty or null objects are useful because they can be used to controlother objects through expressions. Moving the unrendered, empty object triggersexpressions that move other parts of the model. In other words, they can act asconstraint nodes.

CREATING OBJECT HIERARCHIES (PARENTING)You use parenting to establish a hierarchy in your scenes. The Edit menu providesthese parenting options:

Parent Moves objects from one hierarchy to another and creates instances.

Unparent Returns a parented hierarchy to its original state.

Use Parent to move objects between hierarchies and create instances.

Parenting objectsWhen you parent an object, you make it part of a hierarchy.

Tip

You can also create an empty group by selecting Edit > Group with noobjects selected.

Note

In the Outliner and Hypergraph, you can drag and drop one object on topof another to parent it.

EDITING OBJECTS | 3Creating object hierarchies (parenting)


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To create a parent:

1 Select the objects you want to make up the parent/child relationship. Select thechildren first, and the parent last.

2 Select Edit > Parent ❐. The Parent Options window opens.

3 Set the following options and click Parent.

Parent Method Select what you want done with the selected object:

Move Objects – Move the object from its current parent to the new parent (the lastselected object).

Add Instance – Create an instance under the new group instead of moving the object.

PreservePosition Turn Preserve Position on to preserve the overall world-space position by changing

the parented objects’ transformation matrix.

Unparenting objectsWhen unparenting an object from a group, you can remove it from the hierarchy andput it into world space. If it is an instance, you can delete it altogether.

To unparent an object:

1 Select the child object.

2 Select Edit > Unparent ❐. The Unparent Options window opens.

3 Set the following options and click Unparent.

UnparentMethod Select how you want to unparent the selected object:

Parent to World – Remove the object from its current parent and place it under theworld.

Remove Instance – Remove a particular instance instead of moving the object.

PreservePosition Turn Preserve Position on to preserve overall world-space position by modifying the

parented objects’ transformation matrix.

Note

If two objects are selected, the first object goes under the one selected last.


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EDITING OBJECTS | 3Undoing and redoing actions

UNDOING AND REDOING ACTIONS

You can undo the last action you performed and redo if you change your mind. Youcan also repeat your last actions.

Undoing your last actionUndo reverses the last action you performed on a selected object. It also reverses anyaction you performed from the Edit menu.

For example, you can transform an object to a new position, then return it to itsoriginal position using the Undo command.

To reverse an action:

Select Edit > Undo.

Redoing and repeating actionsSelect Edit > Redo to perform the last action that you reversed. For example, if youdelete an object and then use Undo to display it, Redo deletes the object again.

Select Edit > Repeat to echo the last menu item you selected. You can only repeatselections from menus on the Maya main menu bar. You cannot repeat selectionsfrom the shelf, channel box, or any of the secondary window menus.

EDITING OBJECT ATTRIBUTES

An attribute is a characteristic of an object in a scene. There are many ways to setattributes in Maya—with the Attribute Editor, Channel Box, Attribute Spreadsheet,menu selections, and expressions. You can set attributes to control virtually anythingin your models and animation. For information on editing attributes, see:

• "Using the Attribute Editor" on page 222

• "Using the Channel Box" on page 236

• "Using the Attribute Spread Sheet" on page 212

• Using Maya: Expressions

• Using Maya: Painting

Note

To set how many levels of Undo you want, select Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences, Undo category, and set the Queue Size. Notethat a large Queue Size slows Maya’s performance.


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4 TRANSFORMING OBJECTS

After you build your curves, surfaces, and objects, you are ready to position them in3D space. This chapter describes how you scale, rotate, and move your objects.

SELECTING TRANSFORMATION TOOLS

The Tool Box provides six basic tools: Select, Lasso, Move, Rotate, Scale, and ShowManipulator. The last tool you used occupies the last position in the Tool Box, exceptfor tools that already have an icon in the Tool Box, such as the Move Tool.

The q, w, e, r, t, and y hotkeys correspond to the Tool Box icons, as shown above.

When you press the w key and drag with the left mouse button, a marking menuappears for the Move manipulator. Similarly, you can display marking menus forusing the e key (for Rotate) and r key (for Scale). The marking menu options areanother way to select manipulator handles.

USING MANIPULATORS

Manipulators provide a visual and interactive way to change an object’s parameters.You use manipulators to directly position and scale objects in the workspace.

Many tools have manipulators. Usually, a tool creates a manipulator when you openthe tool and deletes the manipulator when you exit it. (However, there are someexceptions to this.)

Show Manipulator Tool

Scale Tool

Rotate Tool

Move Tool

Select Tool

space for the last toolused (non-sacred tool)

Equivalent keys

q

w

r

t

y

Lasso Tool

e

Equivalent keys

q

w

r

t

y

e


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TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Using axes and pivot points

When you use a manipulator to change parameter values, the Help Line displays thevalues as they change.

You can also change parameter values by entering them in the Numeric Input field(at the top right of the window). For details, see "Entering numeric values" on page98.

About manipulator handlesEach manipulator has several handles. You move these handles to changeparameters. For example, the Move manipulator has a center handle, plus handlesyou use to move it in X, Y, and Z.

If you want, you can make these handles larger or smaller using the manipulatordisplay preferences in Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences. For thetransform manipulators, you can also use the + and - keys on the keyboard to changehandle size.

The active (current) handleWhen you click-drag a manipulator handle, it becomes active. This means you cannow use the middle mouse button to move the handle without having to reselect it.If you click away from the handle and drag, it still moves the manipulator. Thedefault color of the active handle is yellow.

You can keyframe the attribute that corresponds to this active handle by setting keyson the current manipulator handle (Animation menu set, Animate > Set Key ❐). Formore information, see Using Maya: Animation.

USING AXES AND PIVOT POINTS

There are various ways you can define from where your objects are transformed. Usethe location of the pivot point or axes to transform in a specific direction from aspecific point in local or world space.

What are pivot points?Objects are transformed based on a specific point in 3D space known as a pivot.When you rotate a primitive, for example, the pivot point represents the center of therotation axis; when you scale, the pivot point represents the fixed point aroundwhich scaling occurs.

By default, the pivot point is set so that the rotational and scale pivots are located atthe point of origin for an object (0, 0, 0). The point of origin is the center of the object.You can change an object's pivot and you can also pin it to a fixed location.

Y handle

Center handle

X handleZ handle



85

To quickly display an object’s pivot point using edit mode:

1 Select the object, then select the transformation tool.

2 Press the Insert key on the keyboard to turn to and from an edit mode. Edit modedisplays a manipulator for moving the pivot.

To display an object’s pivot point using the Attribute Editor:


2 Open the Attribute Editor (Window > Attribute Editor) and click the object’stransform tab.

3 Expand Pivots, and turn on Display Rotate Pivot or Display Scale Pivot.

Moving pivot pointsYou can move a pivot point to set the point you want to move, scale, or rotate theobject from. Use the Insert key on the keyboard to display the pivot point, then useany of the transformation tools. In the following example the Rotate transformationtool is selected.

To move a pivot point manually:

1 Select an object, select a transformation tool, and then press the Insert key. The pivotpoint manipulator appears.

2 Drag the pivot point manipulator to move the pivot point.

Manipulator for moving pivot

transform tab

Pivots options

rotatemanipulator

pivot pointmanipulator


86


3 Press the Insert key again to display the transform manipulator and drag totransform the object.

To move a pivot point using the Attribute Editor:

1 Select the object, open the Attribute Editor and in the Pivots section, turn DisplayRotate Pivot or Display Scale Pivot on, depending on which pivot point you want tomove.

2 In the Local or World Space sections, enter X, Y and Z values for Rotate Pivot orScale Pivot and press Enter. In the following example, the rotate pivot is moved 5.0units in the Z direction in absolute local space. You can now rotate the object fromthat pivot point location.

Pinning component pivot pointsMaya creates a temporary pivot point for object components you select while inComponent selection mode. The pivot point is centered with respect to the selectedcomponents. If you select additional components after moving a temporary pivot,the pivot automatically moves back to the original position. To prevent it frommoving, you can “pin” the temporary pivot to a location you define in edit mode.

To pin a pivot point:

1 In component selection mode, select the components.

pivot point

rotate manipulator

Rotate pivot pointmoved 5.0 in Z



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2 Press the Insert key to enter edit mode.

3 Drag the pivot point to move it to a new location.

4 Still in edit mode, click the pivot target. The pivot locks to the current position.

What is an axis?An axis is a straight line that indicates the origin and direction. For example, byusing two axes, a plane is defined: the XY plane is defined by placing X and Y axesso they intersect at the origin. Three dimensions are defined by using three axes: X,Y, and Z.

Displaying the axis indicatorsThere are two types of axes: the global axes, and the local axes.

The global axes display in the view. You can display the global axes at the origin inthe perspective view (Display > Heads Up Display > Origin Axis) and you candisplay the global axes at the bottom left of each view (Display > Heads UpDisplay > View Axis).

The local axes displays at the origin of the active object in all views. To display thelocal axis, open the Attribute Editor. Click the transform tab for the object, and in theDisplay section, turn on Display Local Axis.

Note

The component pivot remains pinned in its position until you return toedit mode (using the Insert key) and unpin it.

To “unpin” (or unlock) a pivot and return it to default auto-centeringmode, click the pinned pivot manipulator.

example of CVs selected inComponent Selection mode

Unpinnedpivot point

Pinnedpivot point


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TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Moving objects

Axes and rotationWhen you rotate an object, the outcome is partially dependent on the rotation orderof the object’s axis. The default rotation order is xyz, but you can change it asneeded. For more information, see "Changing the rotation order and axis orientation"on page 94.

Changing the axes origin from the Command LineYou can also type the following commands in the Command Line to turn the globalaxis display on and off in the 3D views.

MOVING OBJECTS

The following procedure describes how you use manipulators to move an object:

To move an object using the Move Tool:

1 Click the Move Tool icon in the Tool Box.

2 Select the object you want to move. Maya displays a manipulator with fourhandles—one to move along each axis and one to move anywhere within the plane.The colors of the handles correspond to the XYZ axes.

Command Action

turnAxis -o true; displays the axis at the origin

toggleAxis -o false; hides the axis at the origin

toggleAxis -v true; displays the axis at the bottom left of each view

toggleAxis -v false; hides the axis at the bottom left of each view



89

3 Click-drag one of the handles, as indicated above. The selected handle changes colorwhen active. The default color is yellow.

• To move the object along a single axis, select and drag the handle for that axis.

• To move the object freely along all axes, select and drag the center handle of themanipulator.

By default, the Move manipulator moves along the plane of the view. In theperspective view, you also use it to move in the XY, YZ, or XZ planes.

• To move in the XZ plane, Ctrl-click the Y handle. The “current plane” for the centerhandle becomes the XZ plane. The center handle now moves the object in the XZplane (keeping the Y translation value constant).

• To move in the YZ plane, Ctrl-click the X handle.

• To move in the XY plane, Ctrl-click the Z handle.

• If the current plane is the XZ plane (or YZ or XY) and you want to move in the viewplane, Ctrl-click the center handle.

When a snap mode is turned on, the manipulator center changes to a circle. Thisindicates that the manipulator snaps instead of moving freely in the current plane.

Moving tips

Here are a few tips to help you move an object:

• The Selection Mask options window controls what types of items you can move. Forexample, if CVs are turned on and all other components are turned off, only CVs canbe selected and moved.

• To change an object’s shape, you can move CVs independently of the objects they arein.

Tip

Another way to restrict movement to one axis is to press the Shift key anddrag using the middle mouse button. This is faster than clicking on themanipulator to switch between specific handles.

Tip

For all manipulators, the middle mouse button controls the activemanipulator handle.

Drag this handle tomove in Y direction

Drag this handle tomove in Z direction

Drag the center handle tomove in any direction

Drag this handle tomove in X direction


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• When you transform an object, the center of the manipulator is the center of thecurrent selection’s bounding box. It acts as a temporary pivot. To move the pivotpoint, see "Moving pivot points" on page 85.

Choosing a coordinate system for the Move ToolUse the Tool Settings options window to specify the coordinate system for the MoveTool.

To specify an option:

1 Double-click the Move Tool icon in the Tool Box.

or

Select Modify > Transformation Tools > Move Tool ❐.

The Tool Settings window opens.

2 Select one of the following options and click Close.

Object Moves an object in object space coordinate system. Axis orientation includesrotations on the object itself. If several objects are selected, each object moves thesame amount relative to its own object space coordinate system.

Local Aligns the object to the rotation of the parent object. Movement is constrained tothose axes in the local space coordinate system. The object is aligned to the rotationof the parent object and does not include the rotations on the object itself. If severalobjects are selected, each object moves the same amount relative to its own objectspace coordinate system.

World Moves in the world space coordinate system. The object is aligned to the world spaceaxis. This is the default.

Normal Moves selected CVs on a NURBS surface in the U or V direction of the surface.Typically you would use this option for small sets of CVs. The manipulator indicatesthe surface Normal, U, and V directions.



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When you select Normal, the Update [UVN] Triad checkbox appears. Turned on,this option causes the manipulator orientation to reflect the moved surface ratherthan the original surface. This is the default. Turned off, the manipulator retains theorientation for the original surface.

Using the Move Normal ToolUse the Move Normal Tool (Modify > Transformation Tools > Move Normal Tool) tomove selected CVs on a NURBS surface in the U or V direction of the surface. This isthe same as selecting the Normal option for the Move Tool. The Update [UVN] Triadcheckbox is turned on by default. For more information about this Update [UVN]Triad option, see “Normal” above.

Moving curves on surfacesCurves on surface (along with their edit points) have a special Move manipulator.When you move a curve on surface, the manipulator constrains the curve on surfaceto the surface and allows for movement in the UV direction separately.

You can also move a curve on surface entirely off the surface. Since it is mapped onlyto the UV parameter space of a surface, once the curve or any portion of the curve ismoved off the surface, it is no longer displayed.

Similarly, if you move an edit point on a curve on surface element off the surface, theedit point and curve spans affected by that edit point are no longer displayed.

Move curve on surface manipulator


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TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Rotating objects

Moving a path animation markerMotion path markers also have a special manipulator. You can add a marker to apath animation to change the animation timing. If you have a position marker alonga path animation, you can use the Move Tool to motion the position marker toanother point along the motion path. For more information, see Using Maya:Animation.

ROTATING OBJECTS

Use the Rotate Tool to rotate objects about any or all three axes.

To rotate an object:

1 Click the Rotate Tool icon in the Tool Box.

2 Select the object you want to rotate. Maya displays a rotate manipulator consisting offour rings (handles), plus a “virtual sphere” enclosed by the rings. The colors of thehandles correspond to the XYZ axes.

3 Click-drag one of the handles, as indicated above. The selected handle changes colorwhen active. The default color is yellow.

Use the X, Y, and Z rings to perform constrained rotations. Use the outer ring torotate relative to the view. For example, in the front view, the view ring rotates theobject in the XY plane. The virtual sphere is used to rotate in X, Y, and Z.

When you rotate a component, Maya rotates it about a temporary pivot which isinitially set to the center of the component’s bounding box. For information onmoving the pivot, see "Moving pivot points" on page 85.

Changing the rotation orderThe Rotate manipulator respects the key object’s rotation order, that is, the order inwhich X, Y, and Z rotations are applied.

To change the rotation order of an object, open the Attribute Editor. The rotationorder option is under the scale/rotate/translate attributes. This is most useful withthe Gimbal manipulator. See "Animating rotation channels" on page 94.

Drag to rotate in theY direction

Drag torotate in theX direction

Drag the virtualsphere area to rotatein X, Y and Z

Drag the outerring to rotateabout view axis

Drag to rotate in theZ direction

TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Rotating objects


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Choosing a rotate modeYou use the Tool Settings window to specify the behavior for the Rotate Tool.

To specify an option:

1 Double-click the Rotate Tool icon in the Tool Box. The Tool Settings window opens.

2 Select a Rotate Mode option, and if desired, turn on Snapping and specify a Snap toValue, and then click Close.

Local Rotates the object about the object space axes.

Global Rotates the object about the world space XYZ axes. Notice that in this mode the ringsnever change.

Gimbal Changes only the X, Y, or Z rotation value. In the local and global modes, the XYZconstraint rings may change more than one of the rotation XYZ channels.

Snapping When Snapping is turned on and you rotate an object using one of the Rotate Toolhandles, the object snaps to increments of the Snap to Value. For example, if youspecify the Snap to Value as 5.0 and the current rotateX value is 2.25, dragging therotateX handle of the manipulator will snap the current rotation value to 0.0 andthen subsequent dragging of the rotateX handle will jump in units of 5.0. Whilesnapping works in Local, Global, and Gimbal modes, only Gimbal is guaranteed tomodify just the Channel Box attribute associated with the current handle. (In theother two modes, you could see all three values changing as you rotate a givenhandle. In these cases, snapping 5.0 degrees may not always result in nice roundnumbers in the Channel Box, even though the object will appear to snap by 5.0degrees.) To rotate without snapping, turn Snapping off. Snapping is turned off bydefault.

Note

To momentarily turn Snapping on or off you can use the j key. Press the jkey and then rotate the object. If Snapping is turned on in the Rotate ToolSettings window, then pressing j will turn it off while rotating the object. IfSnapping is turned off, then pressing j will turn it on while rotating theobject. When you release the j key, Snapping is restored to what it was inthe Rotate Tool Settings window. The snapping increment used is the valuethat was last specified for the Snap to Value option in the Rotate ToolSettings window.


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TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Scaling objects

Changing the rotation order and axis orientationIn the Transform Attributes section of the Attribute Editor, you can change therotation order of the axes for an object by selecting an order from the Rotate Orderpop-up menu. You can also enter values in the Rotate Axis X, Y, or Z boxes to rotatethe axes in a specific direction, and to rotate the object around a different axis.

Keep in mind that these attributes have a combined effect with the Rotate Modesettings in the rotate Tool Settings.

Animating rotation channelsWith the world and object space rotation manipulator, you can change multiplerotation channels at one time, even when using one of the X, Y, or Z rings. Foranimation, rotations are interpolated on a per channel basis and the rotation channelsare not independent.

The rotation channels are applied in a specific order. This ordering impacts theanimation of these channels. (To change the rotation order, use the Attribute Editor.)For this reason, interpolating all three rotation channels on a single object usuallydoes not result in a smoothly animated rotation.

Instead, use the Gimbal option of the rotation manipulator. It lets you change andcontrol individual rotation channels without affecting the other rotation channels. Italso gives more predictable results. For modeling purposes, or with animations thatdon't include rotation channels, use any of the rotate manipulators.

When you animate components such as CVs, you are actually animating theirposition. Rotating some CVs and setting keys do not produce an arc because the CVpositions are what are interpolated. In this case, it does not matter which rotatemanipulator is used.

SCALING OBJECTS

Use the Scale Tool to change the size of objects by scaling proportionally in all threedimensions. You can also scale non-proportionally in one dimension at a time.

To scale an object:

1 Click the Scale Tool icon in the Tool Box.

2 Select the object you want to scale. Maya displays a scaling manipulator that consistsof four handles. The colors of the handles correspond to the XYZ axes.

TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Using the Show Manipulator Tool


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3 Click-drag a handle to scale the object, as indicated above.

By default, all geometry is assigned an initial scale factor of 1.

When you scale a component, Maya scales it about a temporary pivot, which isinitially set to the center of the active component’s bounding box. Note that forcomponents, it is the component position that is being changed. For information onmoving the pivot, see "Moving pivot points" on page 85.

USING THE SHOW MANIPULATOR TOOL

Some functions display special manipulators that let you tailor a surface or curveafter a surface has been created. The Show Manipulator Tool (Modify >Transformation Tools > Show Manipulator Tool) lets you edit the constructionhistory of an operation or the attributes of an object itself. In other words, this toollets you access the input node of an object.

A manipulator is a good way to access the history of a surface created withconstruction history (such as a beveled or revolved surface). Several manipulatorscan be active at one time.

When the object is deselected, the manipulators disappear. Reselect the object, andthe manipulators reappear.

There are several ways to access and display manipulators using the ShowManipulator Tool. Before you start, make sure construction history is on (click theConstruction History icon on the Status Line).

Tip

A useful shortcut for non-proportional scaling in X, Y, or Z is to use theShift key. Hold the Shift key down, then, using the middle mouse button,drag along the direction of the axis you would like to scale in. This is fasterbecause you don't need to click directly on the specific handle to switchbetween scaling in X, Y, or Z.

Drag to scale in theZ direction

Drag to scale inthe Y direction

Drag to scale in theX direction

Drag to scaleproportionally


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Selecting an item’s history nodeThe Show Manipulator Tool displays a manipulator for the operation’s history node.To access the manipulator, you must select the history node.

After you revolve an object, the revolve history node is active and the ShowManipulator Tool displays the Revolve manipulator. If you perform several otheroperations and then want to edit the revolved surface, the manipulators are nolonger displayed. You have to select them using one of the following methods.

To select the history node:

Select the surface then do one of the following:

• Press the a key and the left mouse button. Drag to Select All History on the markingmenu that appears.

or

• From the History list menu in the Status Line, select the history node.

or

• From the Channel Box, select the history node.

In the following example, the history nodes for a revolved surface and the curveused to construct it are selected. Click revolve1 to select the history node for therevolved surface.



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Changing a curve’s parameter rangeYou can use the Show Manipulator Tool to change the parameter range (minimumand maximum value) on a subCurve.

A subCurve is created when you select the Partial option as the Curve Range insome options windows (for example, Revolve Options, Loft Options, ExtrudeOptions, Boundary Options, Bevel Options, Project Curve Options). This option letsyou select a minimum and maximum parameter value on the curve; only the part ofthe curve between those points is used to create the surface. Most surface operationsthat use a curve as input include this option.

A subCurve can also be the construction curve, or input curve, you use to createsurfaces, such as revolved or extruded surfaces.

Once you select the history nodes and the Show Manipulator Tool, manipulatorsdisplay on the surface or the construction curve. To interactively edit these nodes,click-drag the manipulator handles, or change the values in the Channel Box or theAttribute Editor.

Displaying manipulators for lights and camerasUse the Show Manipulator Tool to display manipulators for editing lights andcameras. The appropriate manipulator displays for the camera or light you select.

For example, if you select a light or a camera and then click the Show ManipulatorTool in the Tool Box, Maya displays the following manipulators:

Note

Some options windows include a Keep Original checkbox (for example,Edit Curves > Detach Curves). Turn this on to access the manipulators.


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TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Entering numeric values

For details, see "Displaying camera and light manipulators" on page 128.

Using the Default Object manipulatorThe Default Object manipulator is the transform tool set to be used with the ShowManipulator Tool for an object. It can be the Move, Rotate, or Scale Tool. Even if theobject has its own manipulator (for example, a light), the transform manipulator isshown instead.

To set the default manipulator for the Show Manipulator Tool:

Select Modify > Transformation Tools > Default Object Manipulator > transformTool.Set Default Object Manipulator to None to use the object’s own manipulator, ratherthan a transform manipulator. This is the default.

This information is saved with the scene. It is also shown in the Attribute Editorunder the transform Display section.

ENTERING NUMERIC VALUES

You can move, rotate, or scale an object by entering values in the Numeric Inputfield or the Command Line.

Using the Numeric Input fieldThe Numeric Input field appears on the Status Line. You can enter absolute values orrelative values in the Numeric Input field. When typing values, do not includecommas to separate XYZ coordinates—use spaces. For example, type:

1 3 5

...not

1,3,5

You can use decimal values.

Entering absolute values

Click the pulldown menu next to the Numeric Input field and select Numeric Input:Absolute. The button changes to abs, to indicate that Maya will interpret the valuesyou enter as relative.

When you enter an absolute value, Maya moves or rotates the object to the absoluteworld-space coordinates that you type in, or scales the object to the absolute sizevalue specified for each of the three axes.

Spotlight manipulators Camera manipulators

TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Entering numeric values


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For example, if an object is positioned at XYZ coordinates (4, 2, 2) and you move theobject by entering an absolute value of:

6 3 1

...in the numeric input field, the new position of the object is (6, 3, 1).

You can omit trailing zero values. For example, you can type:

2 3 0

or

2 3

...to move an object to (2, 3, 0).

To move or scale an object on only one or two of the axes without affecting the otheraxis, you must re-enter the current values you don’t want to affect. For example, tomove an object from its location at (2,3,1) to (4,4,1), enter the absolute move values:

4 4 1

Similarly, if an object is scaled by a factor of 5 on all three axes and you want tochange the scale on the x-axis to a factor of 6, enter the scale factors:

6 5 5

Entering relative values

Click the pulldown menu next to the Numeric Input field and select Numeric Input:Relative. The button changes to rel, to indicate that Maya will interpret the valuesyou enter as relative.

When you enter a relative value, Maya moves, rotates, or scales the object by thespecified amount on each axis, relative to the object’s current position or scale factor.

For example, to move an object from (2,3,1) to a position two grid positions in thepositive X direction and one grid position in the positive Y direction, enter therelative values:

2 1 0

...and press Enter.

The zero value for the z-axis results in no positional adjustment on this axis. Theobject moves to (4,4,1).

You can omit trailing zero values. For example, you can type:

2 3 0

...or

2 3

...to move an object from (1,1,1) to (3,4,1).

To transform an object using the Numeric Input field:

1 Click the Move, Rotate, or Scale Tool in the Tool Box.

2 Select the object you want to transform.


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TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Combining transformations

3 To transform the object by an absolute amount (the default), type the XYZcoordinates in the Numeric Input field and press Enter, or type -a before the valueand press Enter, for example:

-a 1 7 4

To transform an object by a relative amount, select Relative from the Numeric Inputfield’s drop-down list to switch to rel, then enter the value, or type -r before thevalue and press Enter, for example:

-r 2 6 3

Using the Command LineThe command line appears at the bottom of the Maya main window.

To transform an object with the Command Line:

To transform objects from the Command Line, you use the move, rotate, and scalecommands.

If you type -r before the numerical values on the Command Line, geometry istranslated relative to its current location. (-a, for absolute world space coordinates, isthe default.)

COMBINING TRANSFORMATIONS

You can use the combined Move/Rotate/Scale manipulator to switch betweenmoving, rotating, and scaling. When you first select this Tool, only part of eachmanipulator is displayed. To see the complete manipulator, click one of its handles.To transform the object, click-drag the appropriate handle. For more information, see"Moving objects" on page 88, "Rotating objects" on page 92, or "Scaling objects" onpage 94.

Note

If you select more than one object, Maya displays the manipulator on onlyone object. However, each object moves, scales, or rotates relative to itsown pivot point.

Note

When you use the combined transformation tool, the transformations occurwith respect to object space only.

Type transform valuesand press Enter

TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Using proportional modification


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USING PROPORTIONAL MODIFICATION

You can use the Proportional Modification (propmod) Tool to transform a number ofitems proportionally, based on the distance from the manipulator handle. Typically,you use this tool to transform CVs.

The propmod effect is usually based on the distance of the CV, or other component,from the manipulator. The closest object exactly matches the manipulator’smovement. Objects further away do not. This effect is controlled by the DistanceCutoff setting.

The manipulator for Proportional Modification is a combination of the move, rotate,and scale manipulators. Click the appropriate part of the manipulator, depending onwhat type of transformation you want to perform.

You can reposition the manipulator in another part of the scene to achieve differenteffects on the selected objects.

Example of translating CVs:

1 Click the Select by component type icon on the Status Line and select the curves tosee the CVs.

2 Shift-drag to select all the CVs in the center of the curves.

3 Select Modify > Transformation Tools > Proportional Modification Tool.

Maya displays a manipulator.

Click this icon andselect the curves tosee the CVs


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4 Click-drag to position the manipulator, then drag the green handle to move the CVson the curves.

Specifying proportional modification falloffTo set proportional modification options, either double-click the icon, or selectModify > Transformation Tools > Proportional Modification Tool ❐. The ToolSettings window opens.

Linear modification falloffThis is the default modification falloff. Maya performs the modification in a linearfashion and displays the Distance Cutoff option.

Distance Cutoff Objects further away than this value are ignored. The distance is measured in 3Dfrom the manipulator handle.

Distance BasedOn The distance from the manipulator handle to the object directly influences the

modification factor. The distance will be computed along the selected axes only. Ifany of these is turned off, the distance used in the computation of the propmodeffect from the handle to the point will ignore that component.

CVs move proportionally



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Power modification falloffUsing the Proportional Modification Tool, you can set the degree to any valuebetween +5 and -5 and the falloff is non-linear (it forms a logistic curve). However, ifyou set the degree to 1 the falloff is linear again.

Distance Cutoff Objects further away than this value are ignored. The distance is measured in 3Dfrom the manipulator handle.

Degree Specifies the degree of effect in the U and V directions. A value of 0 applies thetransformation equally over the entire region.

A positive value decreases the effect of the transformation for objects further awayfrom the manipulator handle; the greater the degree, the greater this dampeningeffect.

If Degree is negative, the effect of the transformation is increased for objects furtheraway from the manipulator handle.


modification factor. The distance is computed along the selected axes only.

Script modification falloffThis method uses a MEL script to determine the falloff.

With the appropriate parameters set, you can choose the Script option and type acommand for the settings in the User defined script box to save the currentparameter settings without actually invoking the function. If you want to use thesesettings again later, you can retrieve the tool’s script from the Reference Editor.


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User definedscript The script should return a modification factor. The inputs to the script are “float”

numbers. The first three represent the position of the manipulator handle. Thesecond three represent the position of the point manipulated. For example, thepoints for which this script returns 1 will move with the manipulator handle. Thepoints for which this script returns 0.5 will move half as fast as the manipulatorhandle.

For more information, see "Using the PropMod script" on page 105.

Curve modification falloffThis option uses an animation curve to create the falloff. An animation curve profilecan be used to produce a modification factor.

Anim Curve Enter the name of an existing animation curve. Its vertical direction will map into themodification factor. The distance maps to the anim curve time axis (in seconds).

You can use the pull-down menu to the right of the box to list and choose all theanim curves with names starting with propModAnimCurve. You can also create one ofthose by choosing Create New from the same pull-down menu.


modification factor. The distance is computed along the selected axes only.



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NURBS CurveThis option uses an NURBS curve to create the falloff. A NURBS curve profile can beused to produce a modification factor.

NURBS Curve Enter the name of an existing NURBS curve. Its vertical direction will map into themodification factor. The distance maps to the NURBS curve.

You can use the pull-down menu to the right of the box to list and choose from allthe NURBS curves.

Using the PropMod scriptThe PropMod script is similar to the Move script except that it has additional settingsfor the move distance. Using the Script option, you can compute each object’s factorindividually.

The user-defined script command considers both the position of the manipulator andthe object. The value returned by the script is used as a multiplying factor for aspecific object.

Example

Create myPropMove.mel file as:

global proc float myPropMove(float $mx, float $my,float $mz, float $px,float $py, float $pz)

}return rand (1.0)}

...which produces a random value between 0 and 1.

If you select myPropMove as the script name, you get a random modification factorfor all selected points.


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TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Creating locators

CREATING LOCATORS

A locator marks a position in world space. A locator is displayed as a small gnomon;its lines extend in each direction along the X, Y and Z axes (like the directional rodsof a sundial). You can use point snapping to snap to a locator position.

Use Create > Locator to create a space or curve locator.

To create and move a locator:

1 Select Create > Locator. A locator is created at the origin.

2 Move the locator in one of the following ways:

• Use the transformation tools.

• Change the transformation values in the Channel Box.

• Click the locator# tab in the Attribute Editor and change the Transform Attributesvalues.

Repositioning the locator in local spaceYou can reposition the locator in local space from the Attribute Editor(Window > Attribute Editor).

Click the locatorShape# tab and enter X, Y, or Z values in the Local Position boxes.

TRANSFORMING OBJECTS | 4Using Measure Tools


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USING MEASURE TOOLS

The Create > Measure Tools menu includes the Distance Tool, Parameter Tool, andArc Length Tool.

Using distance measuresUse the Create > Measure Tools > Distance Tool to measure and display distancesbetween two specified points.

To display a distance measure:

1 Select Create > Measure Tools > Distance Tool.

2 Click to select two points in space, or click a curve or surface to display the distancemeasure locator.

The following example shows the distance locator when two points are placed on asurface.

The following example shows the distance locator when one point is placed in worldspace and the other is placed on the surface.

Locator positioned at origin Locator positioned at (0, 3, 0)


108


The following example shows the distance locator when two points are placed on acurve.

To snap a distance measure point:

To snap a locator to a curve or surface, use the Snap to curves icon and click thecurve or surface. When you move the item, the distance measure updates. This canbe especially helpful if you want to measure the distance between two curves.

1 Click the Snap to curves icon from the Status Line.

2 Place a point on one curve and another point on the other curve.

3 Move one of the curves and the distance measure updates.

To move the distance locator:

Click the Move Tool icon, then select a locator and drag to the point from where youwant to measure the distance. The distance measure updates automatically.



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Editing the distance locators using the Attribute EditorYou can move distance locators by editing the Translate values (X, Y and Z) in theAttribute Editor (Window > Attribute Editor).

To specify the Translate values of a distance locator:

Select a locator, then click the locator# tab of Attribute Editor (Window > AttributeEditor) and enter Translate values for the locator. The distance measure updatesautomatically. When you edit the Translate values of the distance locators, the StartPoint and End Point in the distanceDimensionShape# tab are also updatedautomatically.

To reposition the distance locator in local space:

Click the locatorShape# tab to open that section of the editor. Enter values in theLocal Position boxes to reposition the distance measure in X, Y, or Z.


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Displaying parameter valuesUse the Create > Measure Tool > Parameter Tool to display parameter values oncurves and surfaces at a specified point. This locator also displays the direction of thecurve or surface and the normal to the curve or surface at a specified point.

To display parameter values on a surface or curve:

1 Select Create > Measure Tool > Parameter Tool.

2 Click-drag on a curve or surface to display the parameter values at a specified point.

For curves, the parameter value displays the U value at the specified point on thecurve.

For surfaces, the parameter value displays the U and V values at the specified point.

Normal

Surface direction

Normal

Curve direction



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To move the parameter locator:

Click the Move Tool icon, then click-drag a locator over the curve or surface. Theparameter values update as you drag.

If you create another locator, the previous locator is dimmed. This means that youcan move it later if you need to.

Editing the parameter locators in the Attribute EditorYou can specify the U and V parameter values from the Attribute Editor(Window > Attribute Editor).

Click the arrow beside the Nurbs Geometry box to access the curve or surface whoselocator you want to edit.

To specify the U and V parameter values:

Click the paramDimensionShape# tab to open that section of the editor. Enter new Uand V Param Values.


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In the following example, the first figure shows the parameter locator on a surface atthe position where it was created. The second figure shows how the locator ismodified when you change the U and V Param Values.

Measuring arc lengthsUse the Create > Measure Tool > Arc Length Tool to measure and display arc lengthson curves and surfaces at a specified point. It also displays the direction of the curveor surface and the normal to the curve or surface at a specified point.

To display arc length values on a surface or curve:

1 Select Create > Measure Tool > Arc Length Tool.

2 Click-drag over a curve or surface to display the parameter values at a specifiedpoint.

Normal Normal

Surface direction Curve direction



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For curves, the distance of the specified point from the start point of the curve ismeasured.

For surfaces, the specified point from the start point in both the U and V direction ismeasured.

To move the arc length locator:

Click the Move Tool icon, then click-drag over the curve or surface. The parametervalues update as you drag.

If you create another locator, the previous locator dims, meaning you can select tomove it later if you want.

Editing the arc length locators in the Attribute EditorIf you want, you can specify the U and V parameters values from the AttributeEditor (Window > Attribute Editor).

Click the arrow beside the Nurbs Geometry box to access the curve or surface forwhich you want to edit the locator.

To specify the U and V parameter values:

Click the arcLengthDimensionShape# tab to open that section of the editor and enternew U and V Param values.


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In the following example, the first figure shows the arc length locator on a surface atthe position where it was created. The second figure shows how the locator ismodified when the U and V Param Values are changed.


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5 DISPLAYING OBJECTS

This chapter describes the tools and actions you use to display or hide objects andattributes. You can use these tools to customize your working environment andreduce workspace complexity.

DISPLAYING ITEMS IN MAYA

You use the Display menu to show or hide NURBS, polygons, tools, components,and attributes. When you hide or show items, it affects the workspace globally.

If you want to hide or show these elements for just one view, use the view’s Showmenu. You can also use the Show menu to display specific types of objects (joints,lights, meshes, surfaces, and so on) in a 3D view. For information on Show menuoptions, see "Hiding and showing objects" on page 122.

USING A GRID

A grid is a 2D plane that represents 3D dimensions in the view. You can use grids tohelp animate relative to a solid surface. For example, you could use a grid to helpplan the foot positions of a person walking on the ground. You can also use a grid toconstruct skeletons, because you can snap grid coordinates on and off to preciselyposition joints.

You can hide the grid when you need to reduce visual clutter. For example, if youhave animated a character walking across a floor and want to view the surfacetexture, you can turn off the grid when you’re ready to fine-tune the placement of thecharacter’s feet.

Tip

You can also control the display of many items from the Attribute Editor.See "Using the Attribute Editor" on page 222.


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DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Using a grid

To turn the grid off and on:

Select Display > Grid. To turn the grid back on, select Grid again.

Setting grid optionsUse the Grid Options window to specify how the grid looks on the screen. When youchange grid options, Maya changes the display immediately.

To set grid options:

1 Select Display > Grid ❐. The Grid Options window opens.

2 Set the following options and click Apply.

Size

We’ve changed the Size options to clarify their function. You can change the size andlength of the grid, set the number of subdivision lines, and the increment for the gridlines.

Length andWidth Sets the number of units for the length and width of the grid. The default is 12 units.

Grid Lines Every Displays every nth grid line. The default is 5 units.

Subdivisions Specifies the number of divisions between major grid lines. Setting the Subdivisionsoption to a value greater than 1 specifies that each main grid interval will besubdivided by the amount specified. The default is 5.

Color

You can change the color of the axes, grid lines and labels, and subdivision lines.

Axes Specifies a color for the X and Z axes on the grid. The default is dark grey.

Grid Lines & Numbers

Specifies a color for the grid lines and the grid line numbers. The default is lightgrey.

Note

The default grid is a 24 x 24 unit grid displayed in the XZ plane.

Tip

Have at least one modeling window open when changing the Grid option.This lets you view the changes interactively.

DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Using a grid


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SubdivisionLines Specifies a color for the subdivision lines. The default is light grey.

Display

You can turn on and off the display of grid elements, including axes, thicker lines foraxes, grid lines, subdivision lines, and grid line numbers.

Axes Turns on or off the display of the axes. The default is on.

Thicker Line for Axes

Turns on or off the display of thicker lines for the axes. The default is on.

Grid Lines Turns on or off the display of the grid lines. The default is on.

SubdivisionLines Turns on or off the display of the subdivision lines. The default is on.

Perspective Grid Numbers

In the Perspective view, you can set the grid line numbers to display on the axes,along the edge of the grid, or just hide them.

Orthographic Grid Numbers

In the Orthographic views (top, side, front), you can set the grid line numbers todisplay on the axes, along the edge of the grid, or just hide them.

Hide Hides the grid line numbers. This is the default for bothPerspective and Orthographic Grid Numbers.

On Axes Displays the grid line numbers along the axes.

Along Edge Displays the grid line numbers along the edge of the grid.

Note

You can also change the color of the axes, grid lines and numbers, andsubdivision lines in the Colors window (Window > Settings/Preferences >Colors). Go to the Inactive tab and then the Modeling category to find thesecolor options. Here you can also change the color of the X-, Y-, and Z-axisthat appear in the Origin and View axes.

Note

To restore the default grid option settings, select Edit, Reset Settings in theGrid Options window. However, this does not restore the default gridcolor settings. To restore the default colors, go to the Colors window(Window > Settings/Preferences > Colors) and select Edit, Reset toDefaults. Please note that this restores all color defaults, including the gridcolors.


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DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Displaying View tools

DISPLAYING VIEW TOOLS

Maya includes useful tools that you can turn on or off in the Display > Heads UpDisplay submenu.

Object Details Displays a list of object details that includes: Backfaces, Smoothness, Instance,Display Layer, and Distance From Camera. The details are displayed in the top-rightcorner of the panel. The default is off.

Poly Count Displays polygon statistics for the visible objects displayed in the view panel. Thisfeature is useful for games development. The default is off. The first column on theleft lists the total components of all the polygons in the scene. The second columnlists the total components of the selected polygon(s). The third column lists the totalselected components.

Animation Details Turns on or off the display of a list of animation details, which include: PlaybackSpeed, Current Character, and IK Solver Enable. The details are displayed above theFrame Rate in the bottom-right corner of the panel. The default is off.

Camera Names Displays the camera name (persp, top, side, front) in the bottom-center of cameraviews. The default is on.

Frame Rate Displays the frame rate in Hertz (fps) for the current port in the bottom-right corner.The default is off.

View Axis Displays the global axis in the bottom-left corner of all views. The default is on.

Origin Axis Displays the global axis at the origin (0, 0, 0) within the perspective view. The defaultis on.

Tips

You can also change the color of the labels and values for the Heads UpDisplay options. See "Changing color settings" on page 330.

You can also customize the Heads Up Display by adding your owninformation. For more information, see Using Maya: MEL.

ObjectDetails

CameraNames

AnimationDetails

Origin Axis

View Axis

PolyCount

DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Changing Wireframe Color


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CHANGING WIREFRAME COLOR

You can now apply a different color to an object’s wireframe. We’ve added aWireframe Color dialog box that has eight colors to choose from (Display > WireframeColor). You can also customize the palette of eight colors.

To change the color of an object’s wireframe:

1 Select Display > Wireframe Color. The Wireframe Color dialog box opens.

2 Select the object(s) in the scene, then select a color and click Apply. To see the newwireframe color, deselect the object(s).

To change the color of an object’s wireframe back to the default:


2 Select the object(s) in the scene and then click Default.

To change a color in the Wireframe Color dialog box:


2 Double-click a color swatch. The Color Chooser window opens.

3 Select a color from the Color Chooser and then click Accept. The selected colorreplaces the former color on the palette of the Wireframe Color dialog box.

4 Close the Color Chooser window and then close the Wireframe Color dialog box.

To reset the colors in the Wireframe Color dialog box to the default:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Colors. The Colors window opens.

2 Select Edit > Reset to Defaults and then close the Colors window.

Note

To change the colors in the Wireframe Color dialog box you can also usethe Colors window (Window > Settings/Preferences > Colors). Go to theGeneral tab and expand the User Defined category to view and change theeight color swatches.

Warning

If you reset the Colors window to the defaults, this affects all color changesin the Colors window.


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DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Specifying how objects display

SPECIFYING HOW OBJECTS DISPLAY

The Shading menu provides a number of ways to look at your scene. The quality canrange from a simple wireframe display to a smooth- shaded view.

Wireframe Draws edges for polygon meshes and isoparametric curves for surfaces. This is thedefault shading quality.

Smooth ShadeAll Displays all surfaces, meshes, and particles as smooth-shaded objects.

Smooth Shade Selected Items

Displays selected items as smooth-shaded objects.

Flat Shade All Displays all surfaces and meshes as flat-shaded objects.

Flat Shade Selected Items

Displays selected items as flat-shaded objects.

Bounding Box Shows objects as boxes that represent their bounding volumes. Bounding boxesspeed up Maya operations and can make a significant difference for complexmodels.

The bounding box encompasses the hulls as well as the actual geometry. As a result,the bounding box may have dimensions larger than those of the geometry.

Points Shows objects as groupings of individual points.

Shade Options There are two display options for shaded objects.

Wireframe on Shaded – Superimposes a wireframe display on all shaded objects in aview.

X-Ray – Displays all shaded objects as semi-transparent. This can be useful for seeinghidden parts of a model.

Note

To see bounding box coordinates, open the Attribute Editor, click on theshape node tab, and open the Object Display section. It shows the read-only minimum and maximum world space boundary coordinates of asurface along the X, Y, and Z axes.

Wireframe isoparmsappear over theshaded objects

DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Specifying how objects display


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InteractiveShading Controls the display of objects during interactive modes (such as transformations,

camera navigation, and playbacks). At the same time the normal display can be insome sort of shaded mode. For example, the normal display can be smooth-shadedwhile the interactive display is bounding box. There are four interactive shadingoptions:

Normal Keeps the interactive mode the same as regular display mode.

Wireframe Displays objects in wireframe mode during the interactive mode.

Bounding Bo x Displays objects as bounding boxes during the interactive mode.

Points Displays objects as points during the interactive mode.

Color IndexMode On UNIX only, lets you manipulate a wireframe object in a complex scene more

quickly (for example, if you are using a full-color image plane while working inwireframe mode).

Dense Wireframe Acceleration

On Windows only, lets you manipulate a wireframe object in a complex scene morequickly. For example, suppose you have created a saloon scene with many objects.When you use the Move tool to move a bottle in the scene, it moves slowly as youdrag the mouse. You can improve the interactive manipulation of the bottle with thismenu option.

BackfaceCulling For objects displayed in smooth shade or flat shade mode, makes the object’s back

face transparent which helps speed the display or manipulation of objects.

HardwareTexturing Displays Maya's hardware textured rendered results as if they were being displayed

in an external viewer.

Hardware Fog Simulates hardware fog effects achievable in programs outside of Maya. Displayshow a spotlight's fog is distributed before you render. Used for preview purposes,Hardware Fog only displays in the perspective view.

Apply Current toAll Applies the current 3D view's shading style to all objects in the scene.

Tip

When you use the Dense Wireframe Acceleration option, be aware of thefollowing:

• Results vary with the graphics card installed in yourworkstation.

• Manipulation of wireframe objects in simple scenes isslower.

• Camera tumbling is unaffected.


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DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Hiding and showing objects

HIDING AND SHOWING OBJECTS

Use Display > Hide to hide items you aren’t working on and reduce visual clutter.This is handy if you want to remove an object from the view, but do not want todelete it or move it.

To redisplay items, use the Display > Show submenu, which includes the sameselections as Display > Hide. The Hide menu items are:

Hide Selection Hides selected object(s).

Hide Unselected Objects

Hides all unselected objects.

Hide Unselected CVs

To control the display of CVs, select the CVs that you want to remain visible, andthen use Display > Hide > Hide Unselected CVs to hide all the other CVs on thatsurface. This will affect the display of CVs in component selection mode, as well asCVs displayed in object selection mode by the use of Display > NURBS Components> CVs.

The selective CV display function operates exclusively from other Maya Hide andShow commands, and therefore menu selections such as Display > Show > All andothers do not effect CVs whose display has been set using selective CV display.

All Hides all objects, whether they are selected or not.

Hide Geometry Displays a menu that lets you select the type of geometry you want to hide.

HideKinematics Displays a menu that lets you select the type of kinematics you want to hide.

Hide Deformers Displays a menu that lets you select the type of deformers you want to hide.

Hide Cloth Available only if you have Maya Unlimited and are using Maya Cloth. Hides clothobjects. For details, see Using Maya: Cloth.

Lights Hides lights.

Cameras Hides cameras.

TexturePlacements Hides texture placements.

Planes Hides planes.

AnimationMarkers Hides animation markers.

LightManipulators Hides light manipulators.

Camera Manipulators

Hides camera manipulators.

Tip

It is possible to use selective CV display on more than one surface at atime.



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Hiding geometryGeometry represents the properties and relations of points, lines, surfaces, andobjects. You can hide a variety of geometry components.

To hide geometry:

1 Select an object.

2 Select Display > Hide > Hide Geometry and select the geometry components youwant to hide. You can hide NURBS Surfaces, NURBS Curves, Polygon Surfaces,Deforming Geometry, Subdiv Surfaces, Strokes, Stroke Path Curves, and StrokeControl Curves. If you select All, all geometry is hidden, whether it is selected or not.

Maya displays the object with the specified component hidden.

In the following illustration, the NURBS surfaces associated with a sample object arehidden.

Hiding kinematicsKinematics is the study of motion without consideration to the cause of that motion.You can hide and show kinematic components.

For information on kinematics, see Using Maya: Character Setup.

To hide a kinematic component:

1 Select an object.

2 Select Display > Hide > Hide Kinematics and select the components you want tohide. You can hide Joints, and IK handles. If you select All, all kinematic componentsare hidden, whether they are selected or not.

Maya displays the object with the specified component hidden.

In the following illustration, an object’s joints are hidden.

NURBS surfacesshown

NURBS surfaceshidden


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Hiding deformersDeformers are operations you apply to one or more geometry objects to change theirshape. You use the Hide and Show Deformers menus to control the display of the“influence objects” for some deformation types. This helps reduce clutter whenyou're not actively editing those parts of your scene.

For information on deformers, see Using Maya: Character Setup.

To hide a deformer:

1 Select an object.

2 Select Display > Hide > Hide Deformers and select the components you want tohide. You can hide Lattices, Sculpt Objects, Clusters, Nonlinears, Wrap Influences,and Smooth Skin Influences. If you select All, all deformers are hidden, whether theyare selected or not.

Maya displays the object with the specified deformer hidden.

In the following illustration, the object’s clusters are hidden.

Joints shown

Joints hidden

Clusters shown

Clusters hidden

DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Isolating selected objects or components


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ISOLATING SELECTED OBJECTS OR COMPONENTS

Use the Isolate Select feature (Show > Isolate Select > View Selected) to quicklyisolate objects or components in a view panel. You simply select the items, chooseShow > Isolate Select > View Selected, and all other objects and components in yourscene become hidden.

Unlike the Display > Hide commands, which hide mostly objects, the Isolate Selectfeature can also isolate components. For example, by selecting polygonal faces, youcould isolate the head of a model. Another difference is Isolate Select affects screendisplay only, while Display > Hide commands also affect rendering.

Isolate Select works on a per-panel basis for any view panel (perspective ororthographic). The components you can select for isolation are:

• CVs of NURBS surfaces

• faces of a polygon mesh

• faces of a subdivision surface mesh

Other components cannot be selected for isolation, such as NURBS patches, curvesegments, particles, or lattice points. However, you can still see and manipulateother component types within the items you have isolated.

Use the Show > Isolate Select menu to control the isolate select feature. The menuoptions are described below.

View Selected Activates or deactivates the isolate select feature. When activated, the word “Isolate”appears at the bottom of the panel and the current selection becomes isolated.

Tip

Keep open at least one other workspace panel with isolate select turned offso you can select other items. Also, tearing off the Isolate Select submenugives you quick access to these commands.


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DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Displaying object components

Auto Load New ObjectsAuto Load Selected Objects

Turn on to automatically update the isolate select panel when you add new objectsor change your selection. If turned off, you must use the Load, Add, or RemoveSelected Objects options to update the panel.

Load Selected ObjectsAdd Selected ObjectsRemove Selected Objects

If you don’t have auto load on, you can use these options to control the isolate selectdisplay. Select items from the isolate panel or another panel and then load, add, orremove them as needed. Note that Load Selected Objects replaces the display withthe current selection, while Add Selected Objects adds the current selection to theselections already displaying.

Bookmarks Enables you to bookmark an isolated selection. To create a bookmark, choose Show >Isolate Select > Bookmarks > Bookmark Current Objects. Choose the option box ifyou want to name the bookmark; otherwise, a default name is used.

To view bookmarked items, choose Show > Isolate Select > Bookmarks >BookmarkName. Choose it again to turn it off and return to the previous view. Youcan view multiple bookmarks at the same time.

Bookmarks are saved with the scene as a set. You can edit or delete these sets usingthe Relationship Editor. For more information on sets, see Chapter 11, “Sets andPartitions.”

DISPLAYING OBJECT COMPONENTS

To help control screen clutter and display performance, you can turn on or off thedisplay of specific object components, on an object-by-object basis.

To display an object’s components:

1 Select an object.

2 Select Display > Component Display and select one of the following options:

Backfaces If you selected a polygonal object, turns on or off the display of the object’sbackfaces.

Lattice Points If you selected a lattice deformer (an L icon represents a lattice deformer handle),turns on or off the display of the lattice points. For information on lattices, see UsingMaya: Character Setup.

Backfaces No backfaces

DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Displaying geometry components


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Lattice Shape If you selected a lattice deformer, turns on or off the display of the object’s latticeshape. The lattice deformer switches between displaying its lattices and the L icon.For information on lattices, see Using Maya: Character Setup.

Local RotationAxes Turns on or off the display of the object’s local rotation axes. For information on

axes, see "Using axes and pivot points" on page 84.

Rotate Pivots Turns on or off the display of the object’s rotate pivots. For information on pivotpoints, see "Using axes and pivot points" on page 84.

Scale Pivots Turns on or off the display of the object’s scale pivots. For information on pivotpoints, see "Using axes and pivot points" on page 84.

SelectionHandles Turns on or off the display of selection handles on manipulators. For information on

manipulator selection handles, see "About manipulator handles" on page 84.

DISPLAYING GEOMETRY COMPONENTS

You can turn on or off the display of components specific to object type, includingNURBS, polygons, and subdivision surfaces. You can also control the displaysmoothness of specific types of objects.

For details on using these submenus, see the appropriate modeling book: UsingMaya: NURBS Modeling, Using Maya: Polygonal Modeling, or Using Maya: SubdivisionSurfaces Modeling.

Use these submenus to turn on or off thedisplay of components or to control thesmoothness of specific types of objects


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DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Displaying camera and light manipulators

DISPLAYING CAMERA AND LIGHT MANIPULATORS

If a camera or light is selected, you can turn its manipulators on or off. For moreinformation on manipulators, see "Using manipulators" on page 83.

Displaying camera manipulator controlsUse the options on the Display > Camera/Light Manipulator menu to displaymanipulator components for the selected camera.

Center ofInterest Turns on or off the display of the camera’s center of interest manipulator.

Pivot Turns on or off the display of the camera’s pivot.

Clipping Planes Turns on or off the display of the camera’s clipping planes.

Cycling Index Turns on or off the display of the camera’s cycling index. By clicking on this control,you can cycle through the available manipulator controls one at a time for theselected camera.

Pivot

Center of Interest

Clipping Panes

Clipping Panes

Cycling Index

DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Displaying camera and light manipulators


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Displaying light manipulator controlsUse the options on the Display > Camera/Light Manipulator menu to displaymanipulator components for the selected light.

Center ofInterest Turns on or off the display of a light’s center of interest manipulator.

Pivot Turns on or off the display of a light’s pivot.

Cone Angle Turns on or off the display of a light’s cone angle.

Penumbra Turns on or off the display of a light’s Penumbra.

Look through Barn Doors

Barn doors are doors or shutters fitted on the spotlight, which let you create a squarespot effect. Shows the view through the spotlight’s barn doors. These manipulatorsappear when you are in Render View or are looking through the selected light(Panels > Look Through Selected).

Decay Regions Turns on or off the display of a light’s decay regions.

Cycling Index Turns on or off the display of the light’s cycling index. By clicking on this control,you can cycle through the available manipulator controls for the selected light one ata time.

For more information about creating lights and editing light attributes, see UsingMaya: Rendering.

Cycling Index

Pivot

Center of Interest

Penumbra

Cone Angle

Decay regions(numbered rings)


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DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Working with templates

WORKING WITH TEMPLATES

Templates are objects that you can see but cannot select. If you make an object into atemplate, you cannot accidentally select it or modify it. You could make abackground object into a template and use it as a modeling reference (the way a gridis used).

To make an object into a template:


2 Select Display > Object Display > Template. The object appears as a lighter coloredwireframe to indicate it is a template. Any shading is turned off.

To return a template to its standard display:

1 Select the object in the Outliner.

2 On the Maya main menu bar, select Display > Object Display > Untemplate.

USING LAYERS

There are two types of layers: display layers and render layers.

A display layer is a collection of objects that you can quickly select, hide, or templateseparate from other, distracting objects in the scene. For example, you can add agroup of trees to a display layer and hide them so they don’t distract you fromviewing another part of the scene. Or you could create a template layer for the houseof some creatures you’re modeling so the house is visible as a size reference, but isnot selectable. Display layers apply specifically to how objects display in the sceneview. For more information, see "Editing display layers" on page 134.

A render layer is a collection of objects that you can quickly render in separatepasses, giving you more flexibility when the shot is composited. Once you haverender layers set up, you can take advantage of the Render Layer/Pass Controlsettings in the Render Globals. For more information on these settings, see UsingMaya: Rendering.Render layers apply specifically to rendering. For more information,see "Editing render layers" on page 137.

You can use the Layer Editor to create and manage display and render layers.

DISPLAYING OBJECTS | 5Using layers


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Using the Layer EditorUse the Layer Editor to create, edit, and manage layers and their objects. If the LayerEditor is not displayed, click the Show or hide the Channel Box/Layer Editor buttonon the Status Line.

To open the Layer menu:

• Select a layer in the Layer Editor and then select the Layer menu.

or

• Right-click a layer in the Layer Editor. The pop-up menu appears, which is anabbreviated version of the Layer menu.

Create Layer Creates a new display layer or render layer, depending on the selection in the pull-down menu, with a default name, for example layer1.

Delete Deletes the selected layer(s), but not the objects in the layer.

Edit Layer Opens the Edit Layer window for the selected layer(s) so you can edit layerattributes.

Select Objects Selects the objects contained in the selected layer(s).

Add Selected Objects

Adds the selected objects to the selected layer.

RemoveObjects Removes all objects from the selected layer(s) and assigns them to the default layer.

The selected layer(s) becomes empty so you can assign other objects.

Attributes Opens the Attribute Editor for the selected layer(s). There are some attributes in theAttribute Editor not available through the Edit Layer window. See "Editing displaylayers" on page 134 and "Editing render layers" on page 137.

Membership Opens the Relationship Editor for removing or adding objects to layers.

Note

To edit or work with multiple layers, select them and then select the Layermenu. Please note that if you right-click a layer, your pop-up menuselection will only affect the layer beneath the mouse pointer.

Select layertype

Increase ordecrease width ofthe Layer Editor

Create a new layer button

Right-click alayer to openthe pop-upmenu


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Select All Unused Layers

Selects all layers in the Layer Editor that do not have objects assigned to them. Thisoption is only available from the Layer menu and not the right mouse button pop-upmenu.

Remove Selected Object(s) from Layers

Removes the selected object(s) from the assigned layer(s). This option is onlyavailable from the Layer menu and not the right-mouse button pop-up menu.

Creating and naming layersFollow these instructions to create and optionally name a layer.

To create a new layer:

1 Select the desired type of layer from the pull-down menu and then click the Create anew layer button. A new layer is added to the Layer Editor with a default name, forexample, layer1.

2 Assign objects to the layer; see the next topic “Assigning objects to layers.”

To name a layer:

1 In the Layer Editor, double-click the layer you want to name. The Edit Layerwindow appears.

2 Type a new name in the Name text box and click Save.

Assigning objects to layersYou can add selected objects to a layer, and you can move an object from one layerto another. An object can belong to only one layer at a time.

To assign selected objects to a layer:

1 Select the objects you want to assign to the layer.

Note

You can turn on or off Make New Layers Current in the Layer Editor’sOptions menu. When this setting is on, you can create a new layer andMaya changes it to be the current layer. When this setting is off, the defaultlayer remains the current layer, unless you select a different current layerin the layer attributes.



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2 In the Layer Editor, select the target layer and then select Layers > Add SelectedObjects to Current Layer.

or

Right-click the target layer and select Add Selected Objects from the pop-up menu.

Assigning objects at creation timeIf you want objects you create to be automatically assigned to the current layer, turnon the Use Current Layer option. (The current layer is the one shown highlighted inthe Layer Editor.) Select Options > Use Current Layer in the Layer Editor.

Removing objects from layersWhen you remove an object from a layer, it automatically becomes part of thedefault layer. You cannot remove objects from the default layer.

Alternatively you can manage objects in layers using the Relationship Editor(Layers > Membership). For more information, see "Using the Relationship Editor"on page 217.

To remove a specific object from a layer:

1 In the workspace or Outliner, select the object(s) you want to remove.

2 In the Layer Editor, select the layer you want to remove the object(s) from.

3 Select Layers > Remove Selected Object(s) from Layers.

To remove all objects from a layer:

• Select the layer(s) from which you want to remove the objects and then selectLayers > Remove Objects from Selected Layer(s).

or

• Right-click the desired layer and select Remove Objects.

Deleting layersYou can delete a layer that has objects assigned to it or you can delete an unusedlayer.

To delete a layer:

1 Select the layer(s) in the Layer Editor.

2 Select Layer > Delete Selected Layer(s). The layer is removed from the Layer Editor.If the layer had objects assigned to it, they are now assigned to the default layer.

Note

If the selected object already belongs to a layer, the object is transferredfrom its layer to the newly assigned layer.


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Editing layersYou can change layer attributes directly in the Layer Editor by clicking on the layerswatches or you can use Edit Layer window. Display layers and render layers haveunique attributes. For details on editing display layers, see "Editing display layers"on page 134. For details on editing render layers, see "Editing render layers" on page137.

Editing display layersThere are attributes unique to display layers, including the Display Type and theVisibility. You can change some of the attributes directly in the Layer Editor usingthe layer’s indicators or you can use the Edit Layer window.

There are additional display layer attributes that you can change using only theAttribute Editor. See "To modify display layer attributes using the Attribute Editor:"on page 136.

To edit a display layer directly in the Layer Editor:

Click the attribute’s indicator until it displays the desired value.

To edit a display layer using the Edit Layer window:

1 Select a display layer and select Layers > Edit Selected Layer(s).

or

Right-click a display layer and select Edit Layer from the pop-up menu.

The Edit Layer window appears.

Note

To delete unused layers, select Layer > Select Unused Layers and thenselect Layer > Delete Selected Layer(s).

Note

To rename a display layer, see "To name a layer:" on page 132.

InvisibleVisible

Template Type

Normal Type

Reference Type

Color indicator

Click the first indicator to turn visibilityon (V) or off (blank).Click the second indicator to changethe display type to Template (T),Reference (R), or Normal (blank).Double-click the third indicator to viewand select from the Color palette.



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2 Modify the display layer attributes as desired and click Save.

Name Optionally, specify a name for the display layer.

Display Type Specify a type of display layer.

Normal When you create a new layer, it is Normal, meaning objectsdisplay normally. This is the default state that allows you to selectand snap to objects.

Template Objects in a template layer are visible, but you cannot select,modify, or snap to them. Objects in a template layer appear in adifferent color. For details, see "Working with templates" on page130.

Reference Like template layers, objects in a reference layer are visible, butyou cannot select them or modify them. However you can snap tothem.

Visible Turn on or off the visibility of objects in the layer.

Color Select a color to assign to all objects in the currently selected layer.

Note

Each scene has a default layer that consists of all objects that have not beenassigned to any other layer. When you remove an object from a layer, itbecomes a member of the default layer.

Note

If you change the color of objects in a display layer, the objects’ colorchange appears in the scene only if these objects are part of a Normal layer.Color changes do not affect objects in the default layer, in a Template layer,or in a Reference layer.


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To modify display layer attributes using the Attribute Editor:

1 Select a layer in the Layer Editor and then select Layers > Layer Attributes.

or

Right-click a layer in the Layer Editor and select Attributes from the pop-up menu.

The Attribute Editor opens.

2 Modify the layer attributes as desired and click Close.

Display Layer Type the name of the layer.

EnableOverrides Turn this option off to disable the effects of the layer. Objects in the layer will appear

and behave as though they do not belong to the layer.

Display Type Select how the layer will display.

Normal Objects in the layer display normally, according to the settings forthe layer. You can select objects in the layer and snap to them.

Template Objects in the layer become templates. You can see templateobjects in the workspace, but you cannot select them, nor can yousnap them.

Reference You can snap to objects in the layer, but you cannot select them ormodify them.

Level of Detail Select the level of display detail for layer objects:

Full Displays full detail for layer objects.

Bounding Box Shows objects as boxes that represent their bounding volumes.Bounding boxes speed up Maya operations making a significantdifference for complex models.

Shading Turn on to make layer objects appear shaded when in shaded display.

Texturing Turn on to show textures on layer objects when in shaded display.

Playback Turn on to animate layer objects during playback. If you have several characters in ascene and want to look at each character’s animation separately, you can place eachcharacter in its own layer and play back the animation of each character as desired.

Visible Turn on to make the objects in the layer visible.

Normal objects Template objects



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Color Select the color of all objects belonging to the layer.

Number This is the number assigned to the layer.

Merging display layers when importing filesTo facilitate the merging of layers when you read in files, select Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences, click the Files/Projects category, and in the Display Layersection select one of the following options for File Import Merge:

None All layers read in will be put in a new layer, and renumbered and renamed, ifnecessary to preserve uniqueness.

By Number All layers read in that have the same index number as an existing layer will bemerged with that layer rather than creating a new layer.

By Name All layers read in that have the same name as an existing layer will be merged withthat layer rather than creating a new layer.

Editing render layersThere are attributes unique to render layers, including the Renderable attribute. Youcan change this attribute directly in the Layer Editor or you can use the Edit Layerwindow.

There are additional render layer attributes that you can change using only theAttribute Editor. These attributes are also found in the Render Layer/Pass Controlsettings in the Render Globals. See Using Maya: Rendering.

To edit a render layer directly in the Layer Editor:

Click the Renderable attribute indicator until it displays the desired value. TheRenderable indicator is marked R if Renderable is on and blank if it’s off.

To edit a render layer using the Edit Layer window:

1 Select a render layer and select Layers > Edit Selected Layer(s).

Note

To rename a render layer, see "To name a layer:" on page 132.

Note

You can’t change the color of render layer objects.

Renderable is onRenderable is off


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or

Right-click a render layer and select Edit Layer from the pop-up menu.

The Edit Layer window appears.

2 Modify the render layer attributes as desired and click Save.

Name Optionally, specify a name for the render layer.

Renderable Controls whether the objects in the layer actually render. This command can beuseful for performing test renders, but the main controls for rendering layers are inthe Render Layer/Pass Control settings in the Render Globals. For more informationon these settings, see Using Maya: Rendering.

To modify render layer attributes using the Attribute Editor:

1 Select a layer in the Layer Editor and then select Layers > Layer Attributes.

or

Right-click a layer in the Layer Editor and select Attributes from the pop-up menu.

The Attribute Editor opens.

2 Modify the layer attributes as desired and click Close.

For information on these attributes, see Render Layer Options in Using Maya:Rendering.


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6 MODELING AIDS

Maya has many features that help you build and position objects. This sectiondescribes some of those features and tells how to use them.

For a comprehensive guide to modeling features, see Using Maya: NURBS Modeling,Using Maya: Polygonal Modeling, and Using Maya: Subdivision Surfaces Modeling.

SNAPPING

The snap options let you control an object or component’s position by attaching it toa grid, point, curve, or view plane. As you draw, rotate, resize, or drag the object, itsnaps to the grid, point, curve, or view plane.

Snapping iconsFour icons in the Status Line control snap mode as you move or rotate objects andcreate curves:

Snap to grids Snaps a vertex (CV or polygonal vertex) or pivot point to a grid corner. If you selectSnap to grids before you create a curve, its vertices snap to the grid corners. For moreinformation on CVs, see Using Maya: NURBS Modeling.

Snap to curves Snaps a vertex (CV or polygonal vertex) or pivot point to a curve or curve on surface.

Snap to points Snaps a vertex (CV or polygonal vertex) or pivot point to a point.

Snap to viewplanes Snaps a vertex (CV or polygonal vertex) or pivot point to a view plane.

Snap

to g

rids

Snap

to cu

rves

Snap

to p

oints

Snap

to vi

ew p

lanes


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MODELING AIDS | 6Snapping

To snap an object or object component to a grid, curve, point, or view plane:

1 To snap to a grid, select Display > Grid to display a grid in your workspace.

or

To snap to a curve, create a curve.

or

To snap to a point, create an object with several CVs or vertices (for example, acurve).

or

To snap to a view plane, select a view (perspective, top, front, or side).

2 Click the appropriate snap icon in the Status Line.

3 Select the object or object component you want to snap to the grid, curve, point, orview plane.

If you are snapping an object component (for example, a vertex, edit point, hull, orcurve on surface), use the Select by component type icon on the Status Line toselect the component. For information on selecting by component, see "Limitingselection by component type" on page 147.

Note that when you select several components, each component snaps to the samepoint.

4 Click the Move Tool icon.

When you select several components, the move manipulator is placed at the center ofthe selection’s bounding box.

5 If you are snapping to a point, right-click on the object with the vertices you aresnapping to and select Control Vertex or Vertex, to display the vertices.

6 Use the middle mouse button to click and drag anywhere on the grid, curve, points,or view plane.

The object snaps to the grid, curve, points, or view plane. You can now move theobject along the grid, curve, point, or view plane.

Snapping hotkeysThe hotkeys for snapping are:

• x for grid snap

• c for curve snap

• v for point snap

To use the grid snap hotkey:

1 Select the object or component you want to snap and click the Move Tool icon.

2 Press and hold down the x key while click-dragging on the grid with the middlemouse button.



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To use the curve snap hotkey:

1 Select the object or component you want to snap and click the Move Tool icon.

2 Press and hold down the c key while click-dragging on the curve you want to snapto with the middle mouse button.

To use the point snap hotkey:

1 Select the object or component you want to snap and select the Move Tool.

2 Right-click the object with vertices (CVs or polygonal) that you want to snap to (forexample, a curve), and select Control Vertex or Vertex to display the vertices.

3 Press and hold down the v key and click-drag the selected object with the rightmouse button to the point you want to snap to.

Snapping along a constraint axisYou can constrain object positioning along a particular axis.

If you turn on snapping and drag a Move Tool manipulator arrow (as opposed todragging the pivot point), Maya uses a combination of the snap and the axisconstraint.

If you are using grid snap, Maya snaps to the nearest grid line along the specifiedaxis.

If you are using point snap and grab the end of the arrow, the manipulator has aninitial jump because the center of the manipulator (not the tip) follows the mouseposition.

It is useful to snap to an axis when you want to align a group of vertices to aparticular Y position.

Snapping to a curve on surface or isoparm curveA curve on surface is a curve you have either plotted directly onto a live surface inUV parameter space, rather than a curve in world space or projected onto a surfaceas a result of a project or intersect function.

Curves on surfaces are often used for trimming.

You can use Snap to curves to snap to an isoparm curve or a curve on surface. This isuseful if you want to snap a pivot to the edge of a surface. But if you are movingvertices on a surface (with curve snap on) you can accidentally snap to a curve onsurface.

Tip

To minimize the initial jump, click closer to (but not on) the center of themanipulator. This is especially important if you are using a large arrow onthe manipulator.

To change the size of the manipulator arrows, press the = and - keys.


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Snapping aligning objectsInstead of using the Move and Rotate Tools, you can easily move an object to aspecific point by snap aligning the object.

You can snap a point directly to any other point (where a point can be a surfacepoint, curve intersection point, vertex, locator, etc.).

If you select two points on each object, the points define an axis snap, which meansthe object will be rotated as well as translated. This technique is useful for orientingone object with another along some arbitrary axis.

Tip

To avoid unintentional snapping, use the c hotkey instead of the Snap tocurves icon in the Status Line. See "To use the curve snap hotkey:" on page141.

Tip

Use the shift key to select more than one point or object.

1 Select snap point

2 Select destination point

3 Snap Align Objects Pointto Point



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If you select three points on each object, you can specify exactly how the objectsshould be aligned against eachother. For example, you could be modeling a houseand a roof and need to join the two parts together.

In addition, you can snap align a selection of objects to an axis or axes in 3D spaceusing the Align Objects Options window. See "To snap align objects:" on page 144.

To snap a point to another point:

1 Select the point that you want to snap to another point.

2 Shift-click to select the point you want to snap to the first point.

3 Select Modify > Snap Align Objects > Point to Point. The first selected point snaps tothe second selected point. Note that the whole object is translated, not just the selectpoint. For example, if you used CVs as points, the selected CV is not moved alone,but the entire surface is.

To snap two points to two points:

1 Select the first point on the snap axis.

2 Shift-click to select the second point on the snap axis. This defines the snap axis.

3 Shift-click to select the first point on the destination axis. The first point you selectedin step 1 will snap to this point.

4 Shift-click to select the second point to define the destination axis. This defines thedestination axis.

Note

If the objects are part of a group(s), then you can control the alignment byspecifying the Object, Parent, or Grandparent option in the Optionswindow.

1 Select snap axis

2 Select destination axis

3-4 Snap Align ObjectsTwo Points to Two Points (e.g. locators)

1

2

3 4


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5 Select Modify > Snap Align Objects > Two Points to Two Points. The first selectedpoint snaps to the third selected point, and the axis defined in steps 1 and 2 lines upwith the axis defined in steps 3 and 4.

To snap three points to three points:

1 Select three points on an object. Use shift-click to select the second and third points.

2 Shift-click to select three points on the destination object.

Select the points on the destination object in the order you want the snap to occur.The first point should correspond to the first point selected on the other object, andso on.

3 Select Modify > Snap Align Objects > 3 Points to 3 Points.

To snap align objects:

1 Select the objects and then select Modify > Snap Align Objects > Align Objects ❐.The Align Objects Options window appears.

2 Specify the following options and then click Align.

Align Mode You can select from one of five different alignment modes according to the objects’bounding boxes.

Min Aligns selected objects according to the minimum value of theobjects’ bounding boxes in the chosen axes.

Mid Aligns selected objects according to the middle value of theobjects’ bounding boxes in the chosen axes.

Max Aligns selected objects according to the maximum value of theobjects’ bounding boxes in the chosen axes.

Dist Aligns selected objects so the space between the their boundingboxes is evenly distributed in the chosen axes.

Stack Aligns selected objects so their bounding boxes are positionedadjacently in the chosen axes.

Align In You can select an axis or multiple axes in which to align the selected objects.

World X Sets the world X axis as the alignment axis.

World Y Sets the world Yaxis as the alignment axis.

World Z Sets the world Z axis as the alignment axis.

Align to You can use this pull-down menu to specify how to align objects in the Min, Mid,and Max modes. This pull-down menu does not apply to the Dist (Distribute) orStack modes.



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SelectionAverage Uses the average minimum, middle, or maximum value of the

objects’ bounding boxes as the alignment reference.

Last SelectedObject Uses the minimum, middle, or maximum value of the bounding

box of the last selected object as the alignment reference.

The following are examples of using the Align Objects options.

Objects before aligning

Max, World Y, Selection Average

Min, World X, Last Selected Object

Stack, World Y

Mid, World Y, Last Selected Object


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MODELING AIDS | 6Limiting selections

LIMITING SELECTIONS

Because Maya works on a selection-based mode, picking items is critical tomodeling. If you forget what needs to be picked for a tool or an action, hold anddrag the mouse button over the menu item. The Help Line displays the type ofselection required for the current item.

You can limit the items you can select in the workspace to specific types of objects,components, or hierarchy elements. By limiting object selection, you can avoidunintentionally selecting a nearby object. Limiting object selection is also known ascreating a pick mask or selection mask.

Limiting selection by object typeYou can limit selection to various types of objects, such as NURBS curves.

To select only a specific type of object:

1 Turn on the Select by object type icon.

2 Click the adjacent icon to display the Set the object selection mask pull-down menuand select All Objects Off.

3 Turn on one of the following icons:

To further limit the items you can select, click the right mouse button on the icon andturn off the appropriate checkboxes.

4 Select the object. You can only select the type of object you have specified.

5 To return to the default selection mask, click the left-most icon in the Status Lineto display the Set the selection mask pull-down menu and select Initial Default.

Example

Suppose you’ve created a tubular object and want to select the joint chain within theobject.

Select by object type

Handles

Joints

Curves

Surface

s

Deformatio

ns

Dynamics

Rendering

Miscella

neous



147

1 Turn on the Select by object type icon.

2 Click the icon to the right and select All Objects Off.

3 Turn on the Joints icon.

4 Click the object’s root joint. The root and its children become the selected objects.

5 To return to Maya’s default selection mask, click the left-most icon in the StatusLine and select Initial Default.

Limiting selection by component typeYou can limit your selection to a specific type of object component, such aspolygonal vertices.

Using the selection mask to select components

To select only a type of component:

1 Select the object that has the components you want to select.

2 Turn on the Select by component type icon.f

3 Click the adjacent icon to display the Set the component selection mask pull-downmenu and select All Components Off.

4 Turn on one of the following icons:

Joint

Select by component type

Points

Lines

Handl

es

Faces

Pivots

Loca

l Rot

atio

n Axe

s

and

Imag

e Pla

nes

Param

eter

Poin

ts

Hulls


148


To further limit the items you can select, click the right mouse button on the icon andturn off the appropriate checkboxes.

5 Select the component.

If you didn’t previously select the object containing the component, the object’scomponents will be displayed but not selected. Select the component again.

Maya selects only the specified type of component.

6 To return to Maya’s default selection mask, click the left-most icon in the StatusLine to display the Set the selection mask pull-down menu and select Initial Default.

Using the Paint Selection Tool to paint-select componentsYou can select, unselect, and toggle the selection of vertices by painting over themwith the Paint Selection Tool. You can also use the Paint Selection Tool to select,unselect, and toggle the selection of faces and edges on polygons and subdivisionsurfaces. Painting gives you much greater control when selecting components andenables you to work much faster.

The vertices in the following illustration were selected in seconds with a single brushstroke.

You can apply global selections to the entire selected surface. With the click of abutton, you can select, unselect, or toggle the selection all the components on asurface.

To select, unselect, or toggle the selection of vertices:

1 Select the surface.

2 Select the Paint Selection Tool and open the Tool Settings editor (Edit > PaintSelection Tool ❐). Maya switches to component mode automatically.

3 In the Paint Operation section, select a paint operation (Select, Unselect, or Toggle)and then drag the brush across the surface.

or

To select, unselect, or toggle the selection of all the vertices on the selected surface,click Select All, Unselect All, or Toggle All, respectively.

For details, see "Paint Operations" on page 149.

To select polygon or subdivision surface faces:


2 Select the Paint Selection Tool and open the Tool Settings editor (Edit > PaintSelection Tool ❐).

3 Right-click the surface and select Face from the marking menu,



149


or

To select, unselect, or toggle the selection of all the faces on the selected surface, clickSelect All, Unselect All, or Toggle All, respectively.


To select polygon or subdivision surface edges:


2 Select the Paint Selection Tool and open the Tool Settings editor (Edit > PaintSelection Tool ❐).

3 Right-click the surface and select Edge from the marking menu,


or

To select, unselect, or toggle the selection of all the edges on the selected surface,click Select All, Unselect All, or Toggle All, respectively.


Paint Selection Tool settingsTo modify Paint Selection Tool settings, select the Paint Selection Tool and open theTool Settings editor (Edit > Paint Selection Tool ❐). Maya switches to componentmode automatically.

Paint Operations settings are described below.

For details on Brush, Stroke, Stylus Pressure, Attribute Maps, and Display settings,see <A HREF =“../Painting/PaintToolSettings3.html#1001921”TARGET=_blank>“Paint Tool settings (new architecture)”</A> in Using Maya:Painting.

Paint Operations

Select a paint operation and paint, or click a paint operation button to perform theoperation.

Paint Operation Select one of the following paint operations.

Select Selects painted components.

Unselect Unselects selected painted components.

Toggle Unselects selected components and selects unselected components.

Tip

You can define hotkey combinations to change most of the settings withoutopening the Tool Settings editor. For details on setting hotkeycombinations, see “Defining Artisan hotkeys” in Using Maya: Painting.


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Add to Current Selection

By default, this option is turned on so that each stroke adds to the previous selection.This means you do not have to press the Shift key when you make a brush stroke toselect, unselect, or toggle the selection of more components. If you want each stroketo override the previous one, turn Add to Current Selection off.

Select All Selects all components on the selected surface(s).

Unselect All Unselects all selected components on the selected surface(s).

Toggle All Selects all unselected components and unselects all selected components on theselected surface(s).

Tips

• To unselect selected components while Select is chosen, press theCtrl key and paint over them. Similarly, when Unselect is chosen,press the Ctrl key and paint to select unselected components.

• Press u + left mouse button and select the paint operation from themarking menu instead of the from the Tool Settings editor.

ToggleUnselectSelect

Before selection Select All Toggle AllUnselect All



151

Limiting selection to hierarchy itemsYou can limit selection to the following hierarchy items:

• root – a heirarchy’s top object

• leaf– descendent object

For information about hierarchies, see "Understanding scene hierarchy terminology"on page 265.

To select only a hierarchy root or leaf:

1 Turn on the Select by hierarchy and combinations icon.

2 Turn on the Root or Leaf icon.

or

Click the adjacent icon to display the Set the hierarchy selection mask pull-downmenu and select Root or Leaf.

3 Select the object. Notice you can select only a root or leaf object.


Limiting selection to template objectsYou can limit your selections to template objects.

To select only a template object:

1 Turn on the Select by hierarchy and combinations icon.

2 Turn on the Template icon.

or

Click the adjacent icon to display the Set the hierarchy selection mask pull-downmenu and select Template.

3 Select the object. Maya selects only a template object.


Select by hierarchy and combinations

RootLeaf

Select by hierarchy and combinations

Template


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Limiting selection by taskYou can limit your selection to the objects or components that pertain to types ofMaya tasks. For instance, you can limit selection to objects and components relevantto dynamics tasks.

To limit selection by Maya task:

1 If the Set the selection mask pull-down menu icon isn’t showing, expand theselection set icons on the Status Line.

2 Click the icon to display the Set the selection mask pull-down menu and select oneof these categories:

• Animation

• Polygons

• NURBS

• Deform

• Dynamics

• Rendering

This creates a selection mask that limits selection to the objects and components inthe chosen category.

3 Do one of the following:

• To select an object in the chosen category, drag a selection box around the object.

• To select a component in the chosen category, click the component directly. Youusually need to display components before you can select them. For example, toselect CVs, first select Display > NURBS Components > CVs to display them and theselect the desired CVs. If you drag the selection box around any of the CVs, youselect the CVs rather than the object.

To use the default Maya selection limitations:

Click the Set the selection mask pull-down menu icon in the Status Line and selectInitial Default.

To allow selection of all objects:

Click the Set the selection mask pull-down menu icon in the Status Line and selectAll Objects.

Click the bar to expand

MODELING AIDS | 6Freezing and resetting transformations


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Moving selection limitations to the shelfYou can put your selection limitation choices on a shelf for future use.

To move selection limitations to a shelf:

1 Select a shelf tab.

2 Turn on the object or component selection limitation icons.

3 Right-click individual icons to turn on or off item checkboxes.

4 Click the adjacent icon to display the Set the (type) selection mask pull-down menuand select Save to Shelf.

An icon labeled MEL appears on the shelf. If you click this icon, the selectionlimitations take effect and the Status Line icons show the selection limitations.

You can change the MEL icon, as described in "Changing shelf icons" on page 345. Ifyou want to add an icon label, see "Setting Shelf options" on page 348.

FREEZING AND RESETTING TRANSFORMATIONS

Before animating a model you just created, you may want to freeze itstransformation. Freezing sets the existing translation, rotation, or scale for selectedobjects to be the initial state. The result is that transform values change to zero (orone for scale), but the object itself remains in place.

You can also reset an object’s transformations at any time. The reset commandtransforms the object back to the translation, rotation, and scale it was when createdor last frozen.

You can apply these operations separately for translation, rotation, or scale.

To freeze or reset an object:

1 Select one or more objects that you have moved, rotated, or resized.

2 Choose Modify > Freeze (or Reset) Transformations ❒.

Tip

You can customize the priority of object or component selection forsituations where you drag a selection box around multiple objects orcomponents.

To prioritize object selection:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferencesand choose the Selection category.

2 Select Custom from the PreSets pull-down menu.

3 Select an item in the Priority list.

4 Enter a priority number for the item in the data box.Higher numbers have higher priority.

5 Click Save when done.


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MODELING AIDS | 6Locking transform tools and manipulators

3 In the Options window, turn on or off Translate, Rotate, or Scale, as needed.

4 Click Appy and then Close.

LOCKING TRANSFORM TOOLS AND MANIPULATORS

If you are going to be using a single tool on an object for a long time, you can lockthe transform tools—Move, Rotate, Scale—and the Show Manipulator Tools. It isalso useful to lock tools when you use a stylus input device.

After you lock a tool, you can’t use the left mouse button to select objects in theworkspace. The left mouse button works the same way as the middle mouse buttondoes during normal use of the Move, Rotate, Scale, or Manipulator Tools. If youneed to select objects after locking a tool, use the Outliner or Hypergraph.

To lock the Move, Rotate, Scale, or Show Manipulator Tool:


2 Select the tool.

3 Turn on the Lock current selection icon in the Status Line.

To unlock the tool and return to normal mouse usage, turn off the icon.

USING CONSTRUCTION HISTORY

When you create an object surface using deformers or certain modeling tools, Mayakeeps a construction history for the object. A construction history is a record of theoptions, geometry, and modeling actions that you used to create the object.

You can use the construction history to modify an object by making simple changesto the original elements of the history. You don’t have to repeat all the steps thatwent into the object’s creation.

Construction history adds complexity to a scene and therefore slows Mayaoperation. For this reason you might decide to turn it off for some scenes.

You can turn off the creation of construction history for all subsequent modelingactivities. If you do this, you won’t be able to tweak history options and geometryfor object surfaces you create afterwards. Alternatively, you can delete a singleobject’s construction history.

To turn off construction history for all objects:

Turn off the Construction History icon in the Status Line.

Note

Construction history and future operations are synonomous withconstruction inputs and outputs.

MODELING AIDS | 6Using construction history


155

To delete an object’s construction history:


2 Select Edit > Delete by Type > History.

To use the construction history to modify an object:


2 Click either the construction inputs or outputs icon on the Status Line andselect the desired input or output from the pop-up menu.

3 Modify the inputs in the Channel Box or in the Attribute Editor.

To view the construction history list window:


2 Click either the construction inputs or outputs icon on the Status Line andselect Complete List from the pop-up menu. The List of History/Future Operationswindow appears for the selected object.

3 Specify the options and then click Close.

Node State Select a node state from the pull-down menu.

Normal Displays the object/component normally.

Blocking Hides the object/component and disables it so it’s not included inanimation or rendering.

Filter Specify a filter option from the pull-down menu.

List The node is listed in the List of History/Future Operationswindow.

Include The node is not listed in the List of History/Future Operationswindow.

Tip

When you attach curves or animate CVs, turn construction history off oryou may get unexpected results.

Tip

If you animate CVs on an object that was created with history, do notdelete the object’s history. The CV animation may not be correct andunexpected results will occur.

Tip

In the List of History/Future Operations window, in some cases you mayselect and drag an item using the middle mouse button to rearrange theitem’s position in the list. You can use this procedure for deformers, butnot modeling operations.


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MODELING AIDS | 6Making objects live

Examples of using construction history:

• If you create two curves with a loft between them, you can modify the loft inputseasily, move curves on CVs, and rebuild more or less points on it.

• Use the List of History/Future Operations window to block Global Stitch whenanimating, as it slows Maya down, and then turn it back on (Normal Node State) forrendering.

MAKING OBJECTS LIVE

When you “make an object live,” you can use its surface as a construction aid. Youcan make NURBS surfaces, poly meshes, and construction planes into live objects.Making a NURBS surface live is one way to create a curve on surface.

To make an object live:


2 Select Modify > Make Live or click the Make Live icon on the Status Line.

3 To turn off a live object, select Modify > Make Not Live or click the Make Live iconagain.

To create a curve on surface by placing it onto a live surface:


2 Select Modify > Make Live or click the Make Live icon on the Status Line.

3 Use any curve creation tool to draw the curve directly onto the surface.

Tip

Select an object and then press A and hold down the left mouse button onthe object to open a marking menu of history and future options.

Note

Only one object can be live at a time. The live object displays in a specialgreen color in wireframe mode to indicate its status.

MODELING AIDS | 6Creating levels of detail


157

CREATING LEVELS OF DETAIL

You can group geometry into a special Level of Detail group, which means thatdepending on how far the group is from the camera, a different child, or resolution,of the group is displayed.

An object can have any number of levels of detail, but typically 3 to 5 levels are usedin the creation of a game. Level 1 is drawn when the object is closest to the cameraand it typically has the most geometry. Level N is drawn when the object is far awayfrom the camera and has the least amount of geometry. This level can be empty.

Creating levels of detail can involve one or more artists/programmers, and twotasks. The first task is to create the models for each level. The second task is to set upthe order of the models (usually by complexity) and the distances at which each levelis drawn.

Notes

All creation tools respect a live surface. Actions do not.

You can use Make Live to place particles on an object's surface or on jointsand polygons.

When an object is live and the Move Tool is the current tool, the activeobject snaps to the live object.

The sphere is live. When drawing the EPcurve, it snaps to the sphere’s surface.

The sphere is not live. When drawing the EPcurve, it does not snap to the sphere’s surface.


158


To create levels of detail:

1 Create models to represent different levels of detail, in order of geometriccomplexity.

The models can be in different layers or sets, or they can be referenced objects.

2 Position the models together in a modeling view at approximately the distance thatyou want the middle object to appear in the level of detail.

Positioning the objects together helps you keep track of them in cases where youhave multiple groups and many models in the same scene.

3 Look through the camera to which you want to associate the level of detail group.


• Select the models in the order you want them to appear in the level of detail group(either lowest to highest or highest to lowest), then select Edit > Level of Detail >Group.

• Select a camera and the models in the order you want them to appear in the level ofdetail group, then select Edit Level of Detail > Group. The selected camera is used inthe level of detail group.

The objects are grouped under a new node, called lodGroup#, which is linked to thecamera through which you are looking.

5 Preview the levels by zooming in and out.

Notes

• Setting up level of detail will not work if you specifyless than two levels of detail.

• Different levels can come from different sets, layers,and can be reference objects.

• Level of Detail only supports discrete levels of detail.For example, there is no blending between levels.

• You can use NURBS, polygons, or subdivision surfacesto create the different levels, and each level can use adifferent geometry type if you want.

Note

Only one of the levels is visible at a time. The levels switch as you zoom inand out.



159

Changing the Threshold distancesYou can change the distances at which the levels are switched using the ChannelBox.

To change a Threshold distance:

1 Select the level of detail group node in the Hypergraph.

Its level of detail attributes are displayed in the Channel Box.

2 Edit the Threshold value for the object whose distance you want to change, andpress Enter.

Re-ordering the levelsYou can re-order the levels after you create a level of detail group.

To re-order the levels in the Outliner:

In the Outliner, use the middle mouse button to drag the object you want to moveinto its new position within the group. This is the easiest way to re-order the levels.

To re-order the levels in the Hypergraph:

1 In the Hypergraph, use the middle mouse button to remove the object you want tore-order from the group.

The other objects in the group move up the group hierarchy.

2 Use the middle mouse button to drag the removed object onto the lodGroup node.The object is added to the bottom of the lodGroup’s hierarchy.

Adding and editing levels

To add a new level:

1 Create a new object to add to the level of detail group.


• In the Hypergraph, use the middle mouse button to drag the new object onto thelodGroup node.

• In the Outliner, use the middle mouse button to drag the new object onto the group.

The new object is added to the bottom of the lodGroup’s hierarchy.

Tip

You can also re-order a group by selecting Edit > Level of Detail >Ungroup. Re-order the objects and create a new group.

Tip

You can also re-order a group by selecting Edit > Level of Detail >Ungroup. Re-order the objects and create a new group.


160


Previewing more than one object at the same timeYou can preview different objects at the same time to compare them.

To view more than one object:

1 In the Hypergraph, select the level of detail group node.

The node’s attributes are displayed in the Channel Box. Each Display Level has threepossible settings: uselod, show, and hide.

2 Use the left mouse button to click on one of the Display Level’s uselod text. A drop-down menu with the three options is displayed.

3 Select one of the options. You can show or hide any combination of objects.

Notes about orthographic cameras and level of detailLevel of Detail displays one child of a level of detail group, depending on thegroup’s distance to a camera. For perspective cameras, this means measuring thedistance between the camera position to the center of the bounding box of the group.

For orthographic cameras, the distance is measured differently. This is becausezooming, panning, and dollying in an orthographic view does not change the cameraposition, but instead changes the camera’s orthographic width. So the distance ismeasured as:

distance = (default camera distance) * (camera’s orthographicwidth)/(default orthographic width)

Substituting Maya’s default values in this equation results in the following:

distance = 3.333 * (camera’s orthographic width)

Tip

Reset the Display Levels to uselod to return to the regular level of detailbehavior.


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7 MANAGING FILES ANDPROJECTS

Maya includes many features to help you manage your files and projects. Thischapter describes how to create scenes, open and save scenes, import and exportfiles, how to create and edit projects, and what files formats are supported by Maya.

CREATING A NEW SCENE

When you create a new scene file, the current scene file is closed and a new, emptyscene appears.

To create a new scene:

1 Select File > New Scene.

If you haven’t saved the current scene, a warning dialog box appears.

2 To save the contents of the current scene file, click Yes. To discard the present scenefile, click No.

OPENING A SCENE

When you open a scene, Maya tries to read the scene’s contents through a filter basedon currently supported file formats. For a list of file types you can open in Maya, see"Supported file formats" on page 174.

To open a scene:

1 Select File > Open Scene.

Maya displays a file browser. When you start up Maya, the file browserautomatically goes to the scenes directory of your current project. For information onsetting projects, see "Creating projects" on page 171.


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MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS | 7Opening a scene

2 To display all the file types you can open, select Best Guess from the Files of typepull-down menu (Windows only).

or

To display specific file types, select the file type from the Files of type pull-downmenu (Windows only).

3 Navigate to the file you want to open and click Open or double-click the file.

Setting Open optionsThe Open Options window lets you set general options and options that are specificto file types.

To set Open options:

1 Select File > Open Scene ❐.

or

• Select File > Open Scene and click the Options button in the Open window(Windows).

• Select File > Open Scene and select Options > Options in the Open window (UNIX).

The Open Options window opens.

2 In the Open Options window, you can set the options listed below and then clickOpen to open a file

Note

Maya lists the files you have opened in the current Maya session on theRecent Files submenu. You can open these files at any time during thesession by selecting File > Recent Files > filename.



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General options

File Type Select the file format you want to use as a default for the next time you open a file.

If you have a project set up, when you open a scene, the browser points to thedirectory containing files of that type. On Windows, it also sets the filter to displayonly files of the selected type. See "Creating projects" on page 171 for information onsetting up projects.

For example, if you set File Type to DXF, when you open a scene, the Open windowdisplays the contents of CurrentProject/DXF. On Windows, it also sets your filtertype to DXF.

Depending on the File Type you select, various File Type Specific Options aredisplayed.

Execute Script Nodes

Script nodes contain Mel scripts in mayaAscii or mayaBinary files. You can designatea script node to execute its script when the node is read from a file, or before or afterrendering a frame. You can create and edit the script nodes using the ExpressionEditor. See the chapter “Using Script Nodes” in the Using Maya: MEL book forinformation on creating and editing script nodes.

User interface configuration information is stored inside the Maya scene file as anattribute on a script node. If you disable the Execute Script Nodes option, the UIscript nodes are not executed. However, we recommend disabling script nodeexecution only if you have an error in your script.

Load Deferred References

Turn on the Load Deferred References option to load referenced files that may havebeen unloaded. When you unload a reference, Maya removes the reference contentsfrom the scene but “remembers” how the reference was connected into the scene.

If you create a scene with references, unload some of them, and then save the scene,you have created some deferred references. If you turn on the Load DeferredReferences option, the deferred references are loaded when you open the scene. Ifyou turn off Load Deferred References, the deferred references are not loaded whenyou open the scene.

Turn on Load Deferred References when rendering a scene in which the animatorswere working with only part of the scene loaded when they saved the scene.

mayaAscii, MayaBinary, and MEL. File Type Specific Options

Use Verbose Names

Displays the full names of node attributes in the file.

For example, if you select the Use Verbose Names option, attribute names are listedas, setAttr.translate 0 0 0 when you open the Maya ASCII file in a text editor. If youturn off the Use Verbose Names option, attribute names are listed as setAttr .t 0 0 0.


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OBJ File Type Specific Options

Create Multiple Objects

Specifies how shapes are created in OBJ files.

Select True to create individual shapes based on grouping information specified inthe OBJ file.

Select False to create one shape for the entire file, with object sets corresponding toeach of the specified groups.

You cannot have overlapping groups. If you do, Maya informs you that overlappinggroups exist, and re-reads the file as if the option were set to False.

Sound (audio) File Type Specific Options

Sound FileOffset Specifies the time the sound should start playing.

For example, suppose you created an animation of a bird walking a tightrope, andyou wanted the sound file to play after the bird reached the end of the rope. If youknew that the bird reached the end of the tightrope at time 108, you would specify asound file offset of 108.

Move files

You must import move files (see "Importing move files" on page 177).

Anim files

You must import anim files ("Importing animation curves" on page 179).

Illustrator and EPS files

You must import Illustrator and EPS files (see "Importing Adobe Illustrator® andEPS files" on page 178).

MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS | 7Saving files


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SAVING FILES

You use Save Scene and Save Scene As to save the current scene, save the currentscene using a new name, or convert a file from Maya ASCII to Maya Binary and viceversa. To convert a file into formats other than Maya ASCII and Maya Binary, usethe Export option ("Exporting files" on page 185).

Before you save, we recommend that you optimize scene size for improvedperformance, memory use, and reduced use of disk space (File > Optimize > SceneSize ❐). For details, see "Optimizing scene size" on page 168.

To save a scene file:

1 Select File > Save Scene.

If you have not specified a name for the scene, the Save window opens:

2 Select mayaAscii or mayaBinary from the Write As pull-down menu (UNIX).

or

Select mayaAscii or mayaBinary from the Files of type pull-down menu (Windows).

This selects the format for your scene.

• Maya Binary files are usually smaller and load faster than Maya ASCII files.

• Maya ASCII files have the same information as Maya Binary files, and you can editthem using a text editor.

Both types of files work with the UNIX operating system and the Windowsoperating system.

3 Type the name of the new file.

Maya does not add a file extension by default. If you want Maya to add the .ma or.mb extension, change the Default File Extensions option (see page 167).

4 Click Save. Maya saves the contents of the file under the specified name.

To rename a scene file:

1 Select File > Save Scene As. The Save window opens.

2 Type the new name of the file and then click Save. Maya saves the contents of the fileunder the specified name.

Note

If your scene includes referenced files, the Save Scene and Save Scene Asoptions save your current working file. The names of files you’ve importedby reference do not change.


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To convert a file:

1 Open the scene file.

2 Select File > Save Scene As.

3 Select mayaAscii or mayaBinary from Write As pull-down, depending on how youwant to convert the scene.

or

Select mayaAscii or mayaBinary from the Files of type pull-down menu (Windows).

4 Click Save. Maya saves the scene in the specified format.

Setting save optionsFor your convenience, you can predefine some of the options that apply when youuse Save Scene and Save Scene As. You can override these predefined options whenyou save the scene.

To set Save Scene options:

1 Select File > Save Scene ❐. The Save Scene Options window opens.

2 Set the options listed below and then click Save Scene to the save the scene or clickClose to save the options without saving the scene.

Incremental Save When Incremental Save is turned on and you save the scene, a backup folder by thesame name is created in the scenes\incrementalsave folder and a backup is made of thefile that was previously saved to disk. Each time you save, another backup file iscreated. These backup files are incremental (filename.001.mb, filename.002.mb) so theprevious backup is not overwritten. The number of incremental backups created isinfinite by default.

Limit Incremental Saves

Applies a limit to the number of incremental backup files that Maya creates andstores. The default limit is 20 increments.

Number of Increments

Type a value or drag the slider to specify a limit.

Note

When the Limit Increment Saves checkbox is turned on, Incremental Savestores only the limited number of incremental backup files. Once the limitis reached, Maya deletes the oldest incremental file and replaces it with thelatest incremental backup file.



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To set Save Scene As options:

1 Select File > Save Scene As ❐. The Save Scene As Options window opens.

2 You can set the following options in the Save Scene As Options window and clickSave Scene As to save the scene.

File Type Sets the file type to mayaBinary or mayaAscii. The default is mayaBinary.

Default File Extensions

Adds the file extension .ma to Maya ASCII filenames and .mb to Maya Binaryfilenames.

3D Paint Texture Options

These options define how Maya saves file textures created with the 3D Paint Toolwhen you save a scene. For information on using the 3D Paint Tool, see Using Maya:Painting.

Always Saves different versions of the file textures when you savedifferent versions of a scene. Use this setting if you are working ondifferent iterations or versions of the file texture.

UnlessReferenced Saves file textures only if the painted character is not referenced.

When this option is selected, Maya uses the file textures from thereferenced file, even if you save the scene with a new name. If thecharacter is not referenced and you save a copy of the scene withthis option selected, Maya creates a copy of the file textures.

Never Does not save a new file texture. Use this setting if you are nolonger changing the file textures and want to continue to use thesaved file textures, even if you save the scene with a new name.

Disk CacheOptions This refers to the new jiggle deformer requiring disk cache, which is implemented as

a DG node and gets updated during a file save.

Always Creates a copy of the jiggle disk cache file when the scene is savedfor the first time or saved to a new name. The cache file namecorresponds with the scene file name. This is the default.

Never Does not save a copy of the jiggle disk cache file. Use this option toprevent the copy from being created and save disk space.

In the New Project and Edit Project windows, we’ve added a Disk Cache option tothe list of Data Transfer Locations (File > Project > New, File > Project > EditCurrent). This allows you to set the default directory in which to store the jiggledeformer’s disk cache files.

Use VerboseNames Displays the full names of node attributes. For more information about using full

names see, "Setting Open options" on page 162.

Note

In both the New Project and Edit Project windows, there is a Disk Cacheoption in the list of Data Transfer Locations (File > Project > New, File >Project > Edit Current). This allows you to set the default directory inwhich to store the jiggle deformer’s disk cache files.


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MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS | 7Optimizing scene size

Tips for reducing file sizeWhen you save a new scene file, Maya saves the user interface information in thescene by default. The user interface file includes information about the interface likethe current panel(s) and layout.

To decrease the size of files you create, you can turn the default setting off so theseuser interface files are not created.

To turn user interface file creation off:

1 Choose Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences and select the Misc category.

2 Turn off the Save Panel Layouts with File check box in the Panel Configurationssection.

3 Click Save to preserve your changes.

OPTIMIZING SCENE SIZE

You can optimize the size of your scene by removing the following:

• invalid NURBS surfaces and curves

• empty sets, partitions, and transforms

• unused animation and NURBS curves, cached data, deformers, expressions, groupID, rendering, snapshot, and unit conversion nodes, locators, point constraints, andreferenced items

We recommend that you make a habit of optimizing scene size before you save.Optimizing your scene size before saving can:

• improve the overall performance of Maya (the improvement can be significant)

• improve Maya’s use of memory

• reduce unnecessary waste of disk space

To optimize scene size:

1 Select File > Optimize Scene Size ❐. The Optimize Scene Size Options windowopens.

2 Select the items you want removed from the scene.

3 To optimize the scene using these settings, click Optimize and then OK.

Note

Your settings are saved so that when you select File > Optimize Scene Size,the saved settings are used.

MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS | 7Managing projects


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MANAGING PROJECTS

A project is a collection of one or more scene files. A project also includes files relatedto the scene, such as texture files for rendering or geometry files for modeling. Itspecifies the directories for the scene data and the search paths to use whenreferencing files.

For example, if you were working on a project called Randy_the_Robot, you couldcreate a directory called robot to hold all the files related to that project, includingscene, sound, rendering, and animation. Placing all the files in one directory makes iteasier to manage the project, including referencing the files.

When you start Maya for the first time, it creates a default directory called “default.”This directory contains default settings for all the subdirectories under default.

Typically, these subdirectories contain information on all files associated with aspecific project. For example, the sound subdirectory contains all sound files used bya scene. For more information on setting up projects, see "Creating projects" on page171.

Default projectsdirectory


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Where Maya stores scene informationMaya stores scene information in three locations according to the type ofinformation:

• Scene File Locations – Stores scene files.

• Project File Locations – Stores files such as textures, lights, images, source images,.mel files, and rendering scenes.

• Data Transfer Locations – Stores files that are in other formats such as .dxf, .obj, andplug-ins.

Using absolute and relative pathsYou can specify either an absolute or relative path to a particular directory.

What is an absolute path?An absolute path starts at the root of a file system and works down the directory treeto the requested file. If you move a scene to a new directory, any absolute paths youcreated become unusable. You must correct the paths before Maya can read the sceneagain.

Note that Maya also supports UNC paths, if your network supports them.

What is a relative path?Relative paths point to a directory by describing its relationship to the current scene.For example, if you want to access all files in project Storm, under directory hurricane,then type hurricane\Storm .

If you change the name of the project directory, then all you have to do is change thename of the directory. You do not have to change the entire path to the associatedproject files.

Example of a relative path

Here is an example of a relative path that goes up two levels to the projectsdirectory, then down one directory to project hurricane\Storm.

..\..\projects\hurricane\Storm\Wind

Tip

Absolute paths must always start with a drive letter (Windows) or slash(UNIX). For example, C:\username\maya\projects\Storm\wind .

Tip

Normally, you should use a relative path. Special situations require anabsolute path—for example, if you want to place all lights for all projects inthe same directory.



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Multiple project directory pathsIf you have multiple locations for project files, including directories outside yourproject area, you can list them all in the New Project or Edit Project window.Separate the directories using a colon (UNIX) or semi-colon (Windows). Forexample, you may have a local sourceimages directory and one that is shared on thenetwork, as shown in the following illustration.

You can mix relative and absolute paths, as the above example illustrates. The entrysourceimages is relative to the project directory, while g:\sharedimages is absolute.Make sure to start absolute paths with either a slash (UNIX) or drive letter(Windows).

Creating projectsYou can structure a project file to suit the requirements of a particular project.

To create a new project:

1 Select File > Project > New. The New Project window opens.

2 Enter the name of the new project in the Name text box.

3 In the Location text box, enter or browse to the directory that will contain the newproject.

Multipledirectories(Windowsexample)

~This willchange.User interfacefield is goingaway


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4 You can click Use Defaults to let Maya assign the default names for the followinglocation.

or

You can set the locations by typing them in and then click Accept.

Scenes Specifies the directory used to save scene files. This directory normally contains onlygeometry information, unless you instruct Maya to put all of the information on thefile into this subdirectory. You can also use this text box to enter search criteria forscene information. For more information, see "Multiple project directory paths" onpage 171.

Project DataLocations Specifies the directories for files containing project textures, lights, source images,

images, and render scenes.

Data TransferLocations These locations specify the paths to the directories containing files in formats that

may require conversion.

Specifying the current projectUse Set Project to specify the current project.

To specify a current project:

1 Select File > Project > Set. A file browser opens.

2 Select a project. Maya changes the path to the new project.

3 Click OK.

Editing the current projectIf any file location information has changed, use Edit Current to update thedirectories. For example, you may have relocated your sound files to a new directoryand want to make sure that Maya is able to find them.

Note

The location directories can be expanded using plug-ins. Each time youadd a plug-in, the New Project window displays the addition. You canthen specify the path to the plug-in’s directory. For more information, see"Using plug-ins for exporting" on page 188.

Note

If you leave a text box blank, Maya does not create a subdirectory. If youcreate a scene using an unspecified project setting, Maya saves theinformation in the project location directory.

Note

You cannot change the name or location of the project file.

MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS | 7Mapping missing directories


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To edit a project:

1 Select File > Project > Edit Current. The Edit Project window opens.

2 Click a triangle button to expand a section of directories related to the Scene, Project,or Data Transfer file locations.

3 Make changes and then click Accept. Maya updates the information on the projectfile.

MAPPING MISSING DIRECTORIES

The dirmap command lets you map a missing directory to a different non-missingdirectory. This is most useful when you are moving scenes from UNIX to Windows.

Mapping from UNIX to WindowsYou can use the dirmap command to map your UNIX directory to your Windowsdirectory. For example, if you enter the following commands:

dirmap -enable true;

dirmap -m "/home/user/maya" "C:/aw/maya/user"

These commands enable dirmap and add a mapping from /home/user/maya to C:/aw/maya/user. Now, if you try to open the file on Windows:

file -open “/home/user/maya/projects/default/scenes/scene1.ma";

Maya is not able to find the directory so it uses the dirmap data and tries againusing:

file -open "C:/aw/maya/user/projects/default/scenes/scene1.ma";

Mapping from UNIX to UNIXYou can also use the dirmap command to map UNIX directories to other UNIXdirectories.

For example, suppose you are running out of disk space and add a new disk, youcan map your old directories to you new ones:

dirmap -enable true

dirmap -m "/home/user/maya/projects" "/bigdisk/maya/projects";

See the dirmap command in the online MEL command documentation for moreinformation.

Note

This works only if the original directory is missing. If the directory is therebut the file is missing, you will get a normal “file not found” error.


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MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS | 7Supported file formats

SUPPORTED FILE FORMATS

You can open and import the following file formats:

Fileextension

Filename Description Program used by Platform

.ma Maya ASCII Native ASCII fileformat.

Maya UNIX &Windows

.mb Maya Binary Native binary fileformat. This is thedefault file format.

Maya UNIX &Windows

.mel MEL Maya EmbeddedLanguage, thescripting languageused by Maya.

Maya UNIX &Windows

.dxf DrawingExchange File

Exchangesgeometric anddrawinginformationbetween microCADsystems.

Auto CAD UNIX &Windows

.geo ExploreGeo Geometry files. Canbe imported only.Note that blobs,shaders, and groupsare not converted

Explore UNIX only

.obj object file ASCII files thatdefine geometryand other objectproperties.

AdvancedVisualizer

UNIX &Windows

.iges Initial GraphicsExchangeSpecification

Standard forexchanginggeometricinformation.

CAD systems UNIX &Windows

.rib RIB RIB input/output ofgeometry.

Renderman UNIX &Windows

.wire aliasWire Wire files. PowerAnimator UNIX &Windows

audio(variousextensions)

audio files suchas WAVE andaiff

Audio files forsampling in monoor stereo.

Various UNIX &Windows

MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS | 7Importing files


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IMPORTING FILES

Maya has built-in translators that let you import into Maya scenes and files createdin other applications. See "Supported file formats" on page 174 to see the types offiles you can import.

There are two ways to import a file:

• You can copy the imported file into the current scene using File > Import. See"Importing files by copying" on page 176 for details.

• You can import the file by reference using File > Create Reference. When you importby reference, Maya makes a link to the file rather than copying it. See "Importingfiles by reference" on page 180 for details.

Using default nodesDefault nodes are built-in nodes that always exist in Maya. These nodes representglobal elements, such as camera positions, shader colors, and current time frames.

When you import a file into an active scene, Maya uses the default nodes for theactive scene.

For example, if you changed a scene’s default shader color to red, this change wouldbe saved. However, if you imported this scene into another scene, Maya wouldignore the changed shader color and use the current default shader color instead.This is to prevent default nodes from suddenly changing.

image(variousextensions)

Alias, BMP,CINEON, EPS,IFF, GIF, JPEG,Maya, RGB,RLA,SGI&nbsp,SoftImage, 24-or 32-bit Targa,TIFF, and XPM

Image files fortextures or imageplanes.

Various UNIX &Windows

.avi AVI Video for WindowsMicrosoft

Various Windows only

Note that thisis the onlymovie file typesupported onWindows.

.mov move An ASCII file thatstores the channeldata (such as xtranslate, ytranslate, and ztranslate) from aPreView scene file.

PreView UNIX &Windows

Fileextension

Filename Description Program used by Platform


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Since default nodes are always present in Maya, you don’t need to create them whenyou open a file. Only changes made to the defaults are saved. For more informationon default nodes, see Using Maya: Expressions.

Importing files by copyingImporting by copying makes it easier to transfer imported material from one scene toanother. However, copying increases the file size. It also means that you must deletethe imported objects and import the source scene again, if you change it.

To import by copying:

1 Select File > Import.

2 Navigate to the file you want to import.

3 Double-click the name of the file you want to import.

Maya copies the contents of the specified file into the current scene.

Setting import optionsImport options are values you specify, that take effect whenever you import a fileinto a scene. You can override the import options for a specific session.

To set import options:

1 Select File > Import ❐. The Import Options window opens.

2 You can set the following options and then click Import to import a file.

Group Specifies whether the imported objects are grouped under a single transform whenyou import the file. Grouping makes it easier to work on the nodes of importedobjects. The default is off.

UseNamespaces When you import or reference a scene with the Use Namespaces option turned on,

Maya creates a new namespace that contains the imported or referenced data.Turning on the Use Namespaces option ensures that all nodes are uniquely named.

A namespace is a grouping of objects under a given name. Each item in a namespaceis identified by its own name along with the namespace it belongs to.

By default, the basename of the imported or referenced file is added to the beginningof the imported or referenced object names, separated by colons.

For example, if you are importing a scene named foo.ma that contains an objectnamed ball, after it’s imported the ball is named foo:ball.

You can change the prefix by selecting Resolve clashing nodes with this string andentering a prefix.

You can create, name, parent, and remove namespaces using the namespacecommand. See the online documentation for MEL Command Reference informationon the namespace command. (Help > MEL Command Reference)

Namespaces do not effect selection, the DAG, the Dependency Graph, or any otheraspect of Maya.

Resolve Name Clashes with

When you import a scene into another scene, naming conflicts occur if the nodesshare the same name and parent nodes.



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To resolve these naming conflicts, you can rename only nodes with the same nameand parents (clashing nodes) or you can rename all nodes. You specify whether touse the filename as the prefix (the default) or to create a prefix string.

For more information on node hierarchy, see Using Maya: Expressions.

File Type Choose from the pull-down menu the file type you will be importing . If you aren’tsure what type of file you will be importing, you can select Best Guess.

Depending on the file type you select, various file type specific options may bedisplayed, see "Setting Open options" on page 162 for information on these options.

Importing move filesWhen you import move files, you must list the attributes to import or export in thetext list in the move file option box.

The move file format is just a list of numbers. No information on how those numbersshould be used is included in the move file. Instead, each row is assumed to be aframe of data, and each column represents a single channel of data.

This is the same move file format used by the Wavefront PreView program, with theaddition that comment characters (# or // ) at the beginning of a line are allowed.

Since time data is not stored with the file, when exporting a move file, the attribute’svalue is written at each frame. The units of the file are your current units in Maya.When importing a move file, the current time of the scene is used as the startingpoint of the import.

For both the import and export functions, all node naming clash and group optionsare ignored.

To import a move file:


2 Select move from the File Type pull-down menu.

The following file type specific options apply to importing move files:

Tip

We recommend you use namespaces to resolve naming conflicts instead ofusing the Name clash options when importing or referencing files.


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Attributes Type the name of an attribute in the Attributes box and click Add to add theattribute to the list of attributes to use when importing or exporting. If the attribute isalready included in the list, a duplicate is not made. You can add several attributes atone time by separating them with a space. To remove an attribute, type the name ofthe attribute and click Remove.

From ChannelBox Click From Channel Box to combine all of the selected objects in Maya, in the order

of their selection, with the channels selected in the Channel Box and place them inthe list. For example, if sphere and cone are selected, and tx, sx are selected in theChannel Box, sphere.tx sphere.sx cone.tx and cone.sx are added to the list of attributeto import and export.

RemoveSelected Click Remove Selected to remove all of the attributes selected in the list.

Remove All Click Remove All to remove all of the attributes from the list.

Precision This is ignored in file export. For file import, this sets the precision of the file.

When you click import or export, the move file is written or read and only theattributes in the list are affected.

Importing Adobe Illustrator® and EPS filesYou can import Illustrator and encapsulated postscript (EPS) files into Maya. Withthis feature, you can create 3D models based on 2D graphics, such as text or logos.Maya imports them as NURBS curves, which you can then group into surfaces,convert to polygons, and so forth.

Support for Illustrator files extends from version 4 up to version 8. Any versionsbefore 4 or after 8 are not necessarily supported.

How curves are converted

The curves from Illustrator and EPS files are actually Bezier curve segments. Duringimport, Maya attaches the segments into a single curve. The Curve Degree is set to 3(cubic) and the Knot Spacing is set to Multiple End Knots.

To import an Illustrator or EPS file:

1 Choose File > Import.

2 In the file browser, navigate to the Illustrator or EPS file.

3 If needed, click the Options button (Windows) or choose Options > Options (UNIX)to set the following controls.

Scale Factor Allows you to control the scale of the curves produced from theimport. It is the same operation as using the Scale Tool.

Group Turn on this option to group the imported curves. It is the sameoperation as using the Edit > Group option.

4 Click Import.



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Importing animation curvesYou can import animation curves from an anim file. To do this, you must first selectthe objects you want to connect to the animation curves. If nothing is selected theanim import will fail. Maya imports the animation curve into the API clipboard andpastes it into the file.

To import animation curves from an anim file:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Plug-in Manager to verify that theanimImportExport plug-in is loaded.

2 Open the file into which you want to import the animation curve.

3 Select the object which you want to connect to the animation curves.

4 Select File > Import.

5 Select animImport from the Read As pull-down menu (UNIX).

or

Select animImport from the Files of type pull-down menu (Windows).

6 Navigate to the file you want to import.

7 Double-click the name of the file you want to import.

Maya copies the contents of the specified file into the current scene.

To set anim import options:


2 Select animImport from the File Type pull-down menu.

3 Set the following options specific to animImport files and then click Import.

Time Range Select a time range option and specify the appropriate settings.

Start Imports the animation information to the selected objects so thatthe animation starts at the time specified in the Start Time field.

Start/End Imports the animation information to the selected object or objects,scaling the animation to fit into the time range as specified in theStart Time and End Time fields. Animation information from thekeys clipboard is either scaled or clipped depending on the settingof the Clipboard Adjustment option.

Current Imports the animation information to the selected objects so thatthe animation starts at the current time as displayed in theAnimation Controls.

Clipboard Transfers the animation information to the selected object(s),preserving the duration and timing of the animation informationon the keys clipboard.

Copies The value specifies the number of copies of the anim curves thatwill be imported. Multiple copies are appended sequentially.

Help Images Turn on Help Images to display illustrations of the effects of the various anim importoptions.


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Clipboard Adjustment

Specify an option for how to handle the Clipboard contents.

Preserve Pastes the contents of the clipboard into their new positions on thecurve without any changes.

Scale Becomes enabled when Start/End is selected. The completecontents of the clipboard curves are stretched or compressed to fitinto the specified import Time Range.

Fit Becomes enabled when Start/End is selected. The contents of theclipboard are preserved (that is, not stretched or compressed) andas much as will fit into the specified time range is pasted into thenew area.

Paste Method Specify a paste method.

Insert Places the clipboard contents before any existing keys in thespecified time range. The keys from the original curve that wereafter the specified time range are shifted in time by the pastedrange times.

Replace Becomes enabled when Start/End or Clipboard is selected. Theclipboard contents overwrite any existing keys in the specifiedtime range.

Merge The clipboard contents are added to any existing keys on thecurve. In the case where a clipboard key is at the same time as anexisting key, the clipboard’s key replaces the existing key.

Replace Region These buttons are enabled when Paste Method is set to Replace.

Time Range Replace keys and curve segment information in the specified timerange with the contents of the keys clipboard.

Entire Curve Is available only when the Time Range setting is Clipboard. TheEntire Curve setting replaces the animation curve(s) on theimported attributes with the contents of the keys clipboard, ineffect deleting any existing animation curves on these attributesand applying the new curves from the keys clipboard.

Connect When turned on, adjusts the keys clipboard curves in value, so there’s nodiscontinuity in the animation at the start of the pasted segment.

Importing files by referenceWhen you import a scene by reference, Maya makes a link from the current scene tothe source scene. This link points to the latest saved version of the scene. You cannotrename, delete, or ungroup objects from a referenced file.

You can develop the referenced file while you use it in other scenes. For example,say you had three scenes in an animation that all used the same props. In one scene,the chair is beside the table. In the second, the chair is on top of the table. In thethird, the chair is on the floor. If you imported the files by reference, three animatorscould use the same props, saving file space and sharing changes made to the surfacecharacteristics and shading of the objects.



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To specify a referenced file:

1 Select File > Create Reference.

2 In the file browser, navigate to the file to reference and click Reference.

You can also use this window to reference files on other systems (including UNIX)on your network.

Maya loads the selected scene into the scene you are working on.

Statements in conventional expression format work whether or not you includeobject names. The Expression Editor resolves name changes.

Setting Reference optionsYou can specify file reference options. Maya uses these options the next time youimport by reference. You can change the options as you work to override existingimport by reference options for only the current session.

To set reference options:

1 Select File > Create Reference ❐. The Reference Options window opens.

2 Set the options. See "Setting import options" on page 176 for information on settingGroup, Namespaces, Name clash, and File Type options.

Using the Reference EditorYou use the Reference Editor to specify settings for importing files by reference. Youcan:

• Create Reference (see "Importing files by reference" on page 180).

• Import Reference (see "Importing a referenced scene" on page 182).

• Export Selection As Reference (see "Exporting a selection as a reference" on page182).

• Remove Reference (see "Removing a reference from a scene" on page 183).

• Select Reference Contents (see "Selecting the contents of a referenced scene" on page183).

• Load Reference/Unload Reference (see "Loading and unloading reference files" onpage 183.

• Replace Reference (see "Replacing reference files" on page 184).

• Clean up References (see "Cleaning up references" on page 184).

Note

Node names from referenced files appear red in the Hypergraph. Incontrast, node names from non-referenced files appear black.

Tip

Turn on the Use Namespaces option if you referenced expressions thatinclude statements in MEL command format that include object names.


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To use the Reference Editor:

1 Select File > Reference Editor. The Reference Editor opens.

2 Select a referenced file.

When you select a referenced file using the Reference Editor, Maya displaysinformation about the file, called File Particulars.

File Particulars

Name Displays the name of the file.

Type Displays the file format.

Status Indicates if the file has been changed in some way.

Load Indicates is the referenced file is loaded or unloaded. See "Loading and unloadingreference files" on page 183.

Sub-type Displays the sub-type of file.

I/O Indicates if the file can be changed. Referenced files are always Read Only, whilefiles you create yourself are always Writable.

Rename Prefix Displays a prefix that can be applied to object names in the event of name clashes ornamespaces.

Importing a referenced sceneYou can import a scene that used to be referenced. This breaks the referenceconnection.

To import a referenced file:

1 Select File > Reference Editor.

2 Click the arrow next to the scene name and select the referenced file to be imported.

3 Select File > Import Reference.

Exporting a selection as a referenceThis lets you export parts of the scene you are working on as a referenced file.Exporting a referenced file is similar to File > Export Selection. However, whenexporting selections as a referenced file, the selections in the Maya window exist



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only as referenced objects. If you make changes to the new referenced file, the objectsin the existing scene change. For more information on exporting selections, see"Exporting files" on page 185.

To export a referenced file:

1 Select objects in the scene file.


3 Select File > Export Selection as Reference.

4 Type the name of the referenced file, choose a file type from the Write As pull-downmenu, then click Export Reference.

Removing a reference from a sceneYou can remove a referenced file from a scene if you do not need it anymore. Whenyou delete the referenced file, referenced objects disappear and all connections arebroken permanently. If you want to remove a reference and keep the connectionsintact, see "Loading and unloading reference files" on page 183.

To remove a referenced file:



3 Select Edit > Remove Reference. Maya displays a message warning you that thisaction cannot be undone.

4 Click Remove to remove the referenced file.

Selecting the contents of a referenced sceneYou can select objects in your scene that come from a referenced file. This lets youidentify which objects exist in a referenced file without having to open the sourcefile.

To select objects from a referenced file:



3 Select Edit > Select Reference Contents. The objects from the referenced file areselected and displayed in a different color.

Loading and unloading reference filesIn a scene that contains reference files, you can unload a reference file if it is notneeded while you are working on a different part of the scene. This improves theinteractive performance of Maya. You load it back in when you are ready for thatpart of the scene.

To unload a reference file:


2 In the Reference Editor, expand the scene name to display the reference files.

3 Highlight the reference file you want to unload.


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4 Select Reference > Unload Reference.

The reference file no longer appears in the scene.

To load a reference file:



3 Highlight the reference file you want to load.

4 Select Reference > Load Reference.

The reference file appears in the scene.

Replacing reference filesYou can replace a reference file with another reference file. This is useful forsubstituting high and low resolution geometry.

To replace a reference file:



3 Highlight the reference file you want to replace.

4 Select Reference > Replace Reference.

5 Navigate to the replacement file and click Reference.

The reference file is replaced. All connections are maintained.

Cleaning up referencesWhen you use reference files, Maya records any changes to the reference file. If youload, unload, or replace reference files, these changes may or may not be used. Whenyou clean up references, you remove any recorded changes that aren’t being used.

For example, if you replace a high-resolution reference file with a low-resolution,Maya records the connections, dynamic attributes, changed values, and disconnectedattributes, which may not apply to the low-resolution version. When you substitutethe high-resolution version again, the connections and values are restored. However,if you don’t substitute the high-resolution version, or you modify the high-resolutionversion before you substitute it, the scene may have dangling connections andunused values. When you clean up references, you eliminates this.

You should clean up reference when you are done swapping reference files.

To clean up references:


2 Select File > Clean Up Reference.

MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS | 7Exporting files


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EXPORTING FILES

You export files when you want to copy all of a scene’s contents (includingreferenced files) into a single file. Export also lets you convert a file into formatsother than Maya ASCII and Maya Binary.

Export copies all of a scene’s contents into another file, regardless of how the scene isdivided into segments and references. In essence, Export collapses the entire sceneinto one file. This is essential when you want to save the scene’s contents to anotherfile type, such as an IGES file, which doesn’t support Maya references.

You can export scenes in several file formats depending on which export plug-insyou have installed. For more information on export plug-ins, see "Using plug-ins forexporting" on page 188.

To export the contents of a scene:

1 Select File > Export All.

2 Specify the name and file type you want to export the information to.

If Maya detects an existing file with the same name, it will ask if you want tooverwrite the existing file.

The options for exporting are the same as those you use to save a file, except moreexport file types are available through plug-ins.

Setting export optionsYou can set the default file format for exporting by selecting File > Export All ❐. ForMaya ASCII and Maya Binary formats, the Export All options are the same as theSave Scene As options (see "Setting save options" on page 166). File formats youexport to using plug-ins have different options (see "Using plug-ins for exporting"on page 188.

Note

If you export selected objects to an existing scene, it will overwrite thecontents of the target file. If you want to add the contents of a scene toanother scene, you must use File > Import. For more information, see"Importing files by copying" on page 176.

When you export the contents of a scene, the entire contents of the scene,including referenced files, are written to a single file.

Note

New export file formats may be added through plug-ins. For moreinformation, see "Using plug-ins for exporting" on page 188.


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Exporting scene elementsYou may want to export certain elements of a scene, for example, expressions. Youcan specify the scene elements that are included in the export data.

To export specific elements of a file:

1 Select File > Export Selection ❐. The Export Selection Options window opens.

2 Set the following export preferences:

File Type – Sets the File Type to mayaBinary or mayaAscii. The default ismayaBinary.

Default File Extensions – Adds the file extension .ma to Maya ASCII filenames and.mb to Maya Binary filenames.

Keep Only a Reference – Turn on to keep a reference to the file and move all of theselected nodes out of the current scene. You must first select the objects in the scene.

Use Namespaces – When you reference a scene with the Use Namespaces optionturned on, Maya creates a new namespace that contains the referenced data. Turningon the Use Namespaces option ensures that all nodes are uniquely named. For moreinformation on Namespaces, see "Setting import options" on page 176)

Prefix with – Select the file name to use the filename as the namespace. Select thisstring and enter a name to be used for the namespace.

Include These Inputs – Turn on to include or off to exclude any of the followinginputs:

History – Includes or excludes construction history of the selected nodes. See "Usingconstruction history" on page 154 for more information.

Channels – Includes or extrudes attribute values. See Using Maya: Animation for moreinformation on attribute values.

Expressions – Includes or excludes expressions. See Using Maya: Expressions for moreinformation on expressions.

Constraints – Includes or excludes constraints. See Using Maya: Animation for moreinformation on constraints.

Include Texture Info – Turn on to export rendering information. The default is off.

Use Verbose Names – Specifies whether you want to use long flag names for MELcommands and full attribute names in the ASCII text.

Note

For information about “move” files, see "Exporting move files" on page187.



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Exporting move filesWhen you import move files, you must list the attributes to import or export in thetext list in the move file option box.

The move file format is just list of numbers. No information on how those numbersshould be used is included in the move file. Instead, each row is assumed to be aframe of data, and each column represents a single channel of data.

This is the same move file format used by the Wavefront PreView program, with theaddition that comment characters (# or // ) at the beginning of a line are allowed.

Since time data is not stored with the file, when exporting a move file, the attribute’svalue is written at each frame. The units of the file are your current units in Maya.When importing a move file, the current time of the scene is used as the startingpoint of the import.

For both the import and export functions, all node naming clash and group optionsare ignored.

To export a move file:

1 Select File > Export Selection ❐. The Export Selection Options window opens.

2 Select move from the File Type pull-down menu. The Export Selection Optionswindow extends to display File Type Specific Options.

The following file type specific options apply to importing move files:

Attributes Type the name of an attribute in the Attributes box and click Add to add theattribute to the list of attributes to use when importing or exporting. If the attribute isalready included in the list, a duplicate is not made. To remove an attribute, type thename of the attribute and click Remove. You can add several attributes at one timeby separating them with a space.

From ChannelBox Click From Channel Box to combine all of the selected objects in Maya, in the order

of their selection, with the channels selected in the Channel Box and place them inthe list. For example, if sphere and cone are selected, and tx, sx are selected in theChannel Box, sphere.tx, sphere.sx, cone.tx, and cone.sx are added to the list ofattribute to import and export.

RemoveSelected Click Remove Selected to remove all of the attributes selected in the list.

Remove All Click Remove All to remove all of the attributes from the list.

Precision This is ignored in file export. For file import, this sets the precision of the file.

When you click import or export, the move file is written or read and only theattributes in the list are affected.


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MANAGING FILES AND PROJECTS | 7Using plug-ins for exporting

USING PLUG-INS FOR EXPORTING

Maya plug-ins provide translators for exporting to various file formats. For moreinformation about file conversions and file formats in general, see the onlinedocumentation Maya File Formats and Translators.

Before you can use a plug-in, you must load it into Maya using a MEL command orthe Plug-in Manager.

To load a plug-in:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Plug-in Manager.

2 Locate the plug-in and click the loaded button.

3 After the plug-in loads, click the i button to get information on the plug-in.

Exporting to Wavefront (OBJ)The objExport plug-in lets you export Maya polygon data to the Wavefront OBJASCII file format. It converts:

• Maya texture coordinate and vertex normal information.

• Maya renderable set information into material names.

• Maya component set information into groups.

To export a file in OBJ format:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Plug-in Manager to verify that theobjExport plug-in is loaded.

2 Select File > Export All or File > Export Selection.

3 Select OBJExport from the Write As pull-down menu (UNIX).

or

Select OBJExport from the Files of Type pull-down menu (Windows).

Note

Maya plug-ins are typically designed to work on a specific operatingsystem.

Note

The objExport plug-in does not export OBJ formatted curves, surfaces,smoothing groups, or point group materials. It also does not supportNURBS. Use the MayaToIgesDxf plug-in for scenes that contain NURBSsurfaces.



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To set OBJ export options:

1 Select File > Export All ❐ or File > Export Selection ❐. The corresponding ExportOptions window opens.

2 Select OBJexport from the File Type pull-down menu.

3 Click to turn on or off exportation of Groups, Point groups, Materials, Smoothing,and Normals.

4 Click Export All or Export Selection.

Exporting to IGES, DXF, and Alias WireThe MayaToAlias plug-in lets you export Maya scene information to an IGES, DXF,or Alias Wire file.

To export a file in IGES, DXF, or Alias Wire format:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Plug-in Manager to verify that the plug-in isloaded.


3 Select IGESexport, DXFexport, or aliasWireExport from the Write As pull-downmenu (UNIX).

or

Select IGESexport, DXFexport, or aliasWireExport from the Files of Type pull-downmenu (Windows).

Note

When exporting to Alias Wire files, we write version 8.1 files for UNIX andversion 9.5 files for Windows.


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Exporting to RenderManThe ribExport plug-in lets you export scenes created in Maya to the RIB(RenderMan) format.

The plug-in exports NURBS and polygonal geometry. All types of animation inMaya are supported, including keys, expressions, path, deformations, and motionblur.

The ribExport plug-in supports ambient, directional, point, and spot lights. It doesnot support plug-in lights.

Simple non-textured shaders are supported, although only the shader color isexported; all other shading attributes are ignored. Phong and Blinn shaders areexported as “plastic” and Lambert shaders are exported as “matte.” Per-face shadinggroups are not supported; only shading groups that are assigned to objects or objectinstances are exported. Plug-in shaders and textures are not supported.

When exporting Maya scenes into RIB, note that the # character is a specialformatting character in RenderMan image names (See the RenderMan user manualfor information on its formatting capabilities). If you want to include a real #character in a RenderMan image name, you must use “##”.

The image name constructed by the ribExport plug-in includes the contents of the“imageName” attribute of the renderable cameras. If you want to include the specialRenderMan formatting characters in an image, the imageName attribute is the placethose characters should be placed in quotes.

To export a file to RenderMan format:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Plug-in Manager to verify that the ribExportplug-in is loaded.


3 Select RIBexport from the Write As pull-down menu (UNIX).

or

Select RIBexport from the Files of Type pull-down menu (Windows).

To set RenderMan export options:


2 Select RIBexport from the File Type pull-down menu. The window extends todisplay File Type Specific Options.

Note

When you create a camera in PowerAnimator, it is automatically given aname that ends with the “#” character and a number. When theAliasToMaya translator converts these cameras into Maya cameras, the “#”is kept in the imageName attribute. If you want to render these scenes withRenderMan, the cameras will need to be edited, and the “#” characters inthe imageName attributes replaced with “##”.



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3 You can set the following options.

Default File Extensions – Specifies whether the .rib extension will be appended to thespecified file name. The .rib extension is not added if the specified filename alreadycontains that extension.

Single File Output – If set to No, each frame is written to a single file. If set to Yes, allframes are written to one file. The default is Yes.

Extension Padding – If the Single File Output option is set to No, then this optionspecifies whether the RIB file extensions will be padded with 0’s.

Geometry Motion Blur – Specifies whether geometry motion blur information iswritten to the RIB file.

Pixel Samples – Specifies the number of samples taken for each pixel. This value willbe used for both the X and Y directions. The default is 3.

Exporting animation curvesYou can export animation curves to an anim file. To do this, you must first select theobjects connected to the animation curves. If nothing is selected the anim export willfail.

Maya copies the anim curve into the API clipboard and pastes it into the new file.

To export animation curves to an anim file:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Plug-in Manager to verify that theanimImportExport plug-in is loaded.

2 Select the object whose animation curve you want to export.


4 Select animExport from the Write As pull-down menu (UNIX).

or

Select animExport from the Files of Type pull-down menu (Windows).

To set anim export options:


2 Select animExport from the File Type pull-down menu. The window extends todisplay File Type Specific Options.


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3 You can set the following options.

Precision Sets the precision of the numbers stored in the file. The choices are:

Float – Eight digits of precision

Double – Seventeen digits of precision

Custom – A setting between 1 and 18.

File Contents Use Node and Leaf Attribute Names – When the Use Node and Leaf Attributecheckbox is selected, the node and leaf attribute names in the clipboard are writtento the file.

When the checkbox is not selected, only the full attribute name is written to the file.

Verbose Units – When the Verbose Units checkbox is selected, long unit names areused in the file, otherwise short unit names are used.

Hierarchy The Hierarchy setting provides control over which nodes will be copied within ahierarchy.

Selected – Only the selected object’s animation copies to the keys clipboard.

Below – Copies the animation of the selected object and all objects below it to theclipboard.

Channels This setting is available when you want to copy only attributes selected in theChannel Box.

All Keyable – All keyable channels of the selected object’s animation are copied to theclipboard.

From Channel Box – Only those channels selected in the Channel Box are copied tothe clipboard.

Control Points This option enables or disables the copy action for all the CVs, polygon vertices, andlattice points associated with a geometry shape (or transform node hierarchicallyabove the geometry shape).

Normally, when a control point is copied, only the selected control point is copied.The Control Points option enables the copying for all the control points associatedwith an object. This is useful when you are doing control point-intensive animationand don’t want to select each control point to copy the animation.

Shapes This option determines if the animation of a shape attribute of an object as well asthe animation of the associated transform attribute are copied, or if only thetransform node’s animation is copied.

Generally, when an object is selected in a modeling window, the transform node(above the shape hierarchically) is selected.

For example, if a camera, NURBS object, or light is selected, the associated transformnode is selected for copying.

Time Range All – Copies all the animation information of the selected object or objects to the keysclipboard.

Start/End – copies only the animation information in the range specified in the StartTime and End Time fields of the selected object or objects to the keys clipboard.

Help Images When checked, this option displays a diagram of the copy action, and in particularrepresents graphically the two methods of copying animation information.



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Method Keys – Copies only keys within the selected range to the keys clipboard.

Segments – Copies animation curve segments and any keys in the selected range tothe keys clipboard.

Note

The Segments method of copying keys will create keys for the copiedanimation segment at the start and end times in order to preserve theshape of the animation curve, if keys do not already exist at those points.


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8 SETTING ENVIRONMENTVARIABLES

This chapter describes how to set environment variables using the Maya.env file andlists standard Maya environment variables that you may want to modify.

ABOUT ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

Environment variables are a useful way to modify the standard path locations andbehavior used by Maya. Typical examples include:

• Setting MAYA_SCRIPT_PATH to point to a directory where you keep customscripts.

• Setting TEMPDIR to point to an area with more disk space so that you have enoughroom for temporary render cache files.

• Setting MAYA_DISABLE_BACKSPACE_DELETE if you prefer that the backspacekey does not perform deletion.

Many of the variables used by Maya are set automatically when you start Maya. Toconfigure Maya further, you can set additional environment variables.

There are two places you can set environment variables: in the Maya.env file and inthe operating system (through the UNIX command line, UNIX .cshrc file, or NTregistry). Using the Maya.env file is the recommended method and is the subject ofthis chapter.

The variables set in the operating system (through the UNIX command line, UNIX.cshrc file, or NT registry) take priority over the settings in the Maya.env file.However, when Maya verifies the environment settings, it may add default settings.

CREATING THE MAYA.ENV FILE

While you can set environment variables in the operating system (such as the UNIX.cshrc file or NT registry), you should use the Maya.env file in most cases so youdon’t clutter the standard environment settings.

Another advantage of using Maya.env occurs when you are performing distributedrendering among several Windows machines. In this case, you can set up Maya.envas a roaming profile to be shared by all the machines. See your networkingdocumentation for details on setting up roaming profiles.


196

SETTING ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES | 8Creating the Maya.env file

To create Maya.env:

1 Create Maya.env in a text editor (such as jot or Notepad).

For UNIX, make sure to use capital M for Maya.env.

2 Set each variable on a single line in the following form:

NAME = VALUE

where NAME is the name of the environment variable, and VALUE is its value. Forother formatting rules, see "Rules for Maya.env" on page 196.

3 Save the file to one of the following locations.

Rules for Maya.env• You can set any variable, including ones that you define yourself. The only variables

you cannot set in Maya.env are MAYA_APP_DIR and either HOME (for UNIX) orUSERPROFILE (for NT).

• For directory paths, use backslash (\) for NT and forward slash (/) for UNIX.

• To separate several paths, use semicolon (;) for NT and colon (:) for UNIX.

• You can include blank lines or lines that begin with # (comment character).

• Extra spaces around the NAME and VALUE are ignored.

• You can use variable substitution by typing either $variable (UNIX) or %variable%(NT). For example:

MAYA_PLUG_IN_PATH = $MAYA_APP_DIR/scripts/test (UNIX)

MAYA_PLUG_IN_PATH = %MAYA_APP_DIR%\scripts\test (NT)

This example uses $MAYA_APP_DIR, one of Maya’s standard environmentvariables. You can also use variables that you define yourself, either in the Maya.envfile or in the operating system.

• If you define your own variable, make sure it does not contain these characters:Space Tab / : * " < > |

UNIX Windows

~/maya/ version

or

~/maya

drive:\WinNT\Profiles\ UserName\maya\ version

or

drive:\WinNT\Profiles\ UserName\maya

Note

These directory locations are the default. You can use a different directoryif you specify it in the MAYA_APP_DIR environment variable, which mustbe set outside of Maya and the Maya.env file. See "Standard Mayaenvironment variables" on page 199.

SETTING ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES | 8Creating the Maya.env file


197

UNIX example:

The following example shows how you can define your own variable(SHARED_MAYA_DIR) and use it to set the value of other Maya variables.

SHARED_MAYA_DIR =HostName:/usr/localhome/public/maya/4.0MAYA_SCRIPT_PATH = $SHARED_MAYA_DIR/scripts:$MAYA_APP_DIR/scripts/customMAYA_PLUG_IN_PATH = $SHARED_MAYA_DIR/plug-insTMPDIR = /disk2/tempspace

Windows example:

This example is the same as UNIX, but with NT-specific formatting.

MAYA_SCRIPT_PATH = %MAYA_APP_DIR%\scripts\testMAYA_PLUG_IN_PATH = %MAYA_LOCATION%\devkit\plug-ins;%MAYA_LOCATION%\devkit\testTMPDIR = D:\tempspace

Where Maya looks for Maya.envMaya looks for the Maya.env file in MAYA_APP_DIR/version or MAYA_APP_DIR,which is an environment variable you may optionally set outside of Maya and theMaya.env file. If you did not explicitly set MAYA_APP_DIR, the followingdirectories are used:

Note

Although we recommend using different formatting for NT and UNIX(such as \ and ; for NT, and / and : for UNIX), Maya does recognize bothformatting styles no matter what platform you use. It’s still best to keep aplatform-specific format to avoid possible errors.

UNIX Windows

~/maya/ version

or

~/maya

drive:\WinNT\Profiles\ UserName\maya\ version

or

drive:\WinNT\Profiles\ UserName\maya


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SETTING ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES | 8Modifying standard paths

MODIFYING STANDARD PATHS

When Maya builds all the environment variable settings into its memory, it makessome verifications and adjustments. For several path environment variables, Mayaadds a string of standard paths to the end of the variable setting. The standard pathscontain items Maya requires to run. The affected environment variables are:

MAYA_PLUG_IN_PATH

MAYA_MODULE_PATH

MAYA_SCRIPT_PATH

XBMLANGPATH

If you set these variables, the path you give comes before the standard paths. Firstpriority is given to settings made through the operating system, followed byMaya.env settings. Standard paths are always last. For a list of the standard paths,see the specific environment variable in the section "Standard Maya environmentvariables" on page 199.

Other path settingsFor the system PATH variable, Maya adds $MAYA_LOCATION/bin. On UNIX, italso adds /usr/aw/com/bin.

Maya checks whether the directory specified by the HOME variable (UNIX) orUSERPROFILE variable (NT) exists and is writable. If not, Maya issues a prompt foryou to provide a writable home directory. Note that HOME and USERPROFILEcannot be set in the Maya.env file.

Warning

Because your path settings take priority over standard Maya paths, aconflict may occur and Maya may fail to load. In this case, try startingMaya with only default settings by typing the following at the commandline: maya -default.

SETTING ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES | 8Standard Maya environment variables


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STANDARD MAYA ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

This section lists the Maya environment variables you might typically use.

MAYA_APP_DIR

This variable defines your personal Maya application directory. This directorycontains your projects and other important items:

• the prefs directory

• the projects directory

• mayaRenderLog.txt

• mayaLog

• mayaJournal

• the scripts directory

• (Maya.env, if you choose to create it, can also reside in this directory)

You can only set MAYA_APP_DIR from the operating system; you cannot useMaya.env. If you do not set it, the default values are: ~username/maya (UNIX) ordrive:\WINNT\Profiles\username (NT).

MAYA_DEBUG_ENABLE_CRASH_REPORTING

When Maya encounters a fatal error, this variable writes a crash report file (.crash) inthe current working directory. This file contains a detailed description of what Mayawas doing when the failure occurred.

To enable this option, set the value equal to 1. To disable it, set the value to 0 (zero)or leave it undefined.

MAYA_DISABLE_BACKSPACE_DELETE

Disables the functionality of the backspace key. To enable this option, set the valueequal to 1. To disable it, set the value to 0 (zero) or leave it undefined.

MAYA_FILE_ICON_PATH

This variable has become obsolete since Maya 3.0. See "XBMLANGPATH" on page202 as this variable should be used instead.

MAYA_HELP_URL This variable is used to override the path where help files are found. The default is$MAYA_LOCATION/docs/en_US/html/.

e.g. MAYA_HELP_URL=$MAYA_LOCATION/docs/ja_JP.EUC/html/

If your company has installed the documentation in a central location to save diskspace, and you are accessing it via an intranet, then you need to use both theMAYA_HELP_URL and the showHelp command to see online documentation. SetMAYA_HELP_URL to the URL address of the top level of the online help. (i.e. Theplace where the MasterIndex.html file is found.)

e.g. MAYA_HELP_URL=http://company.com/maya4.0/docs/en_US/html/

Note

Incorrect use of this flag will prevent online help from working withinMaya.


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Then each user needs to copy the file helpTable onto their machine. This file is also atthe top level of the online help. The last step is to add a line to each user’s"userSetup.mel" file that tells Maya where to find the local helpTable.

e.g. showHelp -helpTable "$HOME/maya/4.0/helpTable";

The showHelp command needs a path to the helpTable, not a URL.

MAYA_LOCATION

The path for the Maya installation directory. If it is not set, it defaults to /usr/aw/mayaVersionNumber (UNIX) or drive:\AW\mayaVersionNumber (NT).

MAYA_MODULE_PATH

Defines the search paths for Maya module files. A module file describes the installlocation for certain Maya components, such as subdivision surfaces. Generally, youdon’t need to set this variable. But, keep in mind that for each path extracted fromthe modules files, Maya appends the suffixes “plug-ins”, “scripts” and “icons” and“icons,” and then adds the appended path to MAYA_PLUG_IN_PATH,MAYA_SCRIPT_PATH, and XBMLANGPATH, respectively.

The following table lists the default paths, which will always follow any path thatyou specify.

MAYA_NO_JITTER_FINAL_COLOR

If you are quantizing to 8-bit color, we apply some randomness, or jitter, to the color.To enable this option, set the value equal to 1. To disable it, set the value to 0 (zero)or leave it undefined.

MAYA_OVERRIDE_UI

If this environment variable is set, Maya won’t load the file initialLayout.mel, whichcreates the interface. You must specify an alternate file to run (for example,MAYA_OVERRIDE_UI = test.mel). This variable should only be specified if youwant to completely replace Maya’s UI for your own, custom-programmed interface.

MAYA_PLUG_IN_PATH

Search path for plug-ins. When a plug-in is specified by relative path name, thedirectories in this path will be searched for the given plug-in name. This path alsodetermines which directories will be listed in the Plug-in Manager.


Default for Windows Default for UNIX

%MAYA_APP_DIR%\maya\4.0\modules%MAYA_APP_DIR%\maya\modulesC:\AW\Modules\maya\4.0C:\AW\Modules\maya

$MAYA_APP_DIR/maya/4.0/modules$MAYA_APP_DIR/maya/modules/usr/aw/modules/maya/4.0/usr/aw/modules/maya



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MAYA_PROJECT

Defines the default location of your project. You can change the location at any timeby choosing File > Project. This variable simply defines the default.

MAYA_RENDERER_RT_BACKGROUND_COLOR

If you set this variable to 1, Maya includes the camera background in the calculationof reflection and refraction rays. If you set this variable to 0 (zero) or leave itundefined, Maya ignores the background color for these rays.

MAYA_SCRIPT_PATH

Colon-separated search path for Mel scripts. If an unresolved Mel procedure iscalled, then this path will be searched for a script that implements it. Also, if a Melfile is sourced without giving the full path, then this path will be searched.


MAYA_USE_V1_CAMERA

Allows you to revert to the old (Maya 1.0/1.5) camera model behavior. Starting withMaya 2.0, we have fixed how the camera behaves when lens squeeze is not 1.0, orwhen the resolution’s aspect ratio is not the same as the x-resolution divided by they-resolution. If you are in the middle of a job started with Maya 1.0/1.5, you mayneed the old (incorrect) behavior for continuity.



%MAYA_APP_DIR%\maya\4.0\plug-ins%MAYA_APP_DIR%\maya\plug-ins%MAYA_LOCATION%\bin\plug-ins

$MAYA_APP_DIR/maya/4.0/plug-ins$MAYA_APP_DIR/maya/plug-ins/usr/aw/userconfig/maya/4.0/plug-ins/usr/aw/userconfig/maya/plug-ins$MAYA_LOCATION/bin/plug-ins


%MAYA_APP_DIR%\maya\4.0\scripts%MAYA_APP_DIR%\maya\scripts%MAYA_APP_DIR%\maya\4.0\prefs\shelves%MAYA_LOCATION%\scripts\startup%MAYA_LOCATION%\scripts\others%MAYA_LOCATION%\scripts\AETemplates%MAYA_LOCATION%\scripts\paintEffects%MAYA_LOCATION%\scripts\cloth%MAYA_LOCATION%\scripts\live%MAYA_LOCATION%\scripts\fur

$MAYA_APP_DIR/maya/4.0/scripts$MAYA_APP_DIR/maya/scripts/usr/aw/userconfig/maya/4.0/scripts/usr/aw/userconfig/maya/scripts$MAYA_APP_DIR/maya/4.0/prefs/shelves$MAYA_LOCATION/scripts/startup$MAYA_LOCATION/scripts/others$MAYA_LOCATION/scripts/AETemplates$MAYA_LOCATION/scripts/paintEffects$MAYA_LOCATION/scripts/cloth$MAYA_LOCATION/scripts/live$MAYA_LOCATION/scripts/fur


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MAYA_USE_VERSION1_DISPLACEMENT

Allows you to revert to the old (Maya 1.0) displacement mapping behavior. Startingwith Maya 1.5/2.0, we significantly improved displacement mapping. If you are inthe middle of a job started using Maya 1.0, you may need the old behavior forcontinuity.


MAYA_USE_VERSION1_POLY_TANGENT

Allows you to revert to the old (Maya 1.0) polygon tangent calculation behavior. ForMaya 1.5/2.0 we significantly improved the way we calculate tangents on polygonobjects. This primarily affects bump-mapping. If you are in the middle of a jobstarted using Maya 1.0, you may need the old behavior for continuity.


TMPDIR and TEMP

This variable specifies the directory location Maya uses for various temporary files,such as:

• temporary render cache files during a render

• crash files if Maya crashes

On UNIX, set TMPDIR only. On NT, set both TEMP and TMPDIR. If not set, thetemporary directory is /tmp (UNIX) or C:/temp (NT).

XBMLANGPATH

For both UNIX and Windows, this variable specifies the location of icon files, such asicons used for Shelf buttons. On UNIX, the syntax is slightly different then otherpaths. For example:

XBMLANGPATH = "./icons/%B:$HOME/dev/icons/%B"

In this example, %B is acts as a placeholder that will be replaced by Maya with thebitmap filename.



%MAYA_APP_DIR%\maya\4.0\prefs\icons%MAYA_APP_DIR%\maya\prefs\icons%MAYA_LOCATION%\icons%MAYA_LOCATION%\icons\paintEffects%MAYA_LOCATION%\icons\cloth%MAYA_LOCATION%\icons\live%MAYA_LOCATION%\icons\fur

$MAYA_APP_DIR/maya/4.0/prefs/icons/%B$MAYA_APP_DIR/maya/prefs/icons/%B/usr/aw/userconfig/maya/4.0/icons/%B/usr/aw/userconfig/maya/icons/%B$MAYA_LOCATION/icons/%B$MAYA_LOCATION/icons/paintEffects/%B$MAYA_LOCATION/icons/cloth/%B$MAYA_LOCATION/icons/live/%B$MAYA_LOCATION/icons/fur/%B



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WINEDITOR

Allows you to override the Expression Editor and use your own editor. The editormust be set to run in the foreground.

MAYA_PAINT_EFFECTS_THREADS

As of Maya 4.0, Paint Effects uses the multiple processors on your machine whenpainting and rendering. You can set this variable to control the number of processorsused by Maya. The minimum is one (1) and the maximum is three (3).


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PART 2

EDITORS

Image by Ben Radcliffe


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9 USING MAYA EDITORS

The chapter describes Maya editors, including: several of the General Editors, theRelationship Editor, the Attribute Editor, the Channel Box, and the Outliner.

General Editors are tools you can use in a number of diverse workflows. One of theGeneral Editors, the Attribute Spread Sheet, lets you see and modify attributes formultiple objects simultaneously. You use it to view and edit attributes in a columnarlayout, and to keyframe them.

The Relationship Editor provides a single place to work with memberships for sets,deformer sets, character sets, partitions, display layers, shading groups, and lightlinking. You can quickly see the relationships, and select and remove items in thoserelationships.

The Attribute Editor is used to examine a particular object’s attributes in more detail,and with a more explanatory interface. Its advantage is that it is very detailed, andallows you to work on one object at a time. This is particularly useful for dealingwith particles.

The Channel Box is the primary, fastest, and most streamlined tool for editing objectattributes. It lets you quickly set keys, and lock, unlock, or create expressions onattributes.

The Outliner lists the objects, lights, cameras, and other items in a scene. Thisarrangement is called the scene hierarchy.

Maya includes several other editors not described in this chapter. For details, refer tothe following:

• Reference Editor, see "Using the Reference Editor" on page 181

• Hypergraph, see "Using the Hypergraph" on page 263

• Layer Editor, see "Using layers" on page 130

• Rendering Editors, see Using Maya: Rendering

• Animation Editors, see Using Maya: Animation

• Render Globals, see Using Maya: Rendering

• Hypershade, see Using Maya: Rendering

• Visor, see Using Maya: Rendering

• Expression Editor, see Using Maya: Expressions


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USING MAYA EDITORS | 9Using General Editors

USING GENERAL EDITORS

General editors are grouped together because they are useful across all functionalareas of Maya (Animation, Modeling, Dynamics, Rendering).

To select a general editor:

Select Window > General Editors and click the appropriate menu item:

ComponentEditor Lets you edit data assigned to components. For example, you can use the

Component Editor to modify the weights assigned to individual CVs by clusterdeformers. See "Using the Component Editor" on page 209.

Attribute Spread Sheet

Lets you view and edit attributes for multiple objects at the same time. See "Usingthe Attribute Spread Sheet" on page 212.

ConnectionEditor Lets you explicitly connect any two attributes. For example, you could use the

Connection Editor to connect a shader attribute to a texture attribute. See the bookUsing Maya: Rendering.

Visor Lets you manage your Maya files for various applications, including rendering andPaint Effects. For more information, see Using Maya: Rendering, Using Maya: Painting,and Using Maya: Animation.

Blind DataEditor You can use Maya's Blind Data Editor to define the blind data types you need, and

then apply the blind data to objects or components in your scene. The blind dataeditor also allows you to query your scene for blind data of a specific type or set ofvalues and use false coloring to visualize what blind data is assigned to each objects.For more information, see Using Maya: Polygonal Modeling.

ChannelControl Displays all of a node’s attributes and lets you make them keyable or not keyable,

editable or not editable (locked or unlocked). Since the Channel Box lists onlykeyable attributes, you often use Channel Control to add attributes to the itemsdisplayed in the Channel Box. For information on using Channel Control, see UsingMaya: Animation. For information on the Channel Box, see "Using the Channel Box"on page 236.

Script Editor Lets you edit a script. See Using Maya: MEL.

CommandShell Lets you enter MEL commands directly through a command window. See Using

Maya: MEL.



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Using the Component EditorUse the Component Editor to edit data assigned to components. For example, youcan use the Component Editor to modify the weights assigned to individual CVs bycluster deformers.

You can use the Component Editor to edit the component data of particles, springs,NURBS CVs, polygonal vertices, and lattice points. For example, you can edit thefollowing component data with the Component Editor:

• the stiffness of individual springs

• the colors of individual particles

• polygonal vertex normals and colors

• the weights of CVs, vertices, or lattice points influenced by cluster deformers

• the weights assigned to CVs, vertices, or lattice points after smooth or rigid skinning

Editing component dataWith the Component Editor, you can find out what data is currently assigned toparticular components, and then change that data.

To query component data:

1 Select the components whose data you want to edit.

2 Select Window > General Editors > Component Editor. The Component Editoropens.

The Component Editor displays the component data for currently selectedcomponents in the workspace.

By default, the Component Editor updates dynamically as you select components inthe workspace. Also, as you select components in the Component Editor, theworkspace updates dynamically.


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3 Click the Polygons, AdvPolygons, Springs, Particles, Weighted Deformers,JointClusters, and SkinClusters, tabs to view component data.

Polygons Lists component data of polygonal vertices, including color or normal data in worldspace coordinates. If color or normal data are not shared at the vertex level, thecolumn displays the word UnShared. These unshared values can be viewed andedited from the AdvPolygons tab.

AdvPolygons Lists vertex face component data, including color and normal values for the vertexface.

Springs Lists component data for springs, including stiffness and damping data.

Particles Lists component data for particles, including color or velocity data.

WeightedDeformers Lists component data of CVs, vertices, or lattice points influenced by cluster

deformers (cluster weights).

JointClusters Lists component data of CVs, vertices, or lattice points bound to a skeleton’s jointsby rigid skinning (joint cluster weights).

SkinClusters Lists component data of CVs, vertices, or lattice points bound to a skeleton’s jointsby smooth skinning (skin cluster weights).

Note that if the components are organized into sets, the sets are also listed.

To modify component data:

1 In the Component Editor’s spreadsheet, click the component data text box you wantto edit. Only the component whose text box you selected is now selected in theworkspace.

2 Enter a new value or use the slider bar.

To modify several components at once:

1 In the workspace, select the components whose data you want to edit.

2 In the Component Editor’s spreadsheet, drag through the component data text boxesyou want to edit.

3 Enter the value you want all the text boxes to have.

Click on tabs to selectcomponent types orinfluences

Component data isdisplayed for editing in aspreadsheet

Components listed byrows

Objects influencingcomponent data listed bycolumn



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To modify an entire row or column (UNIX only):


2 In the Component Editor’s spreadsheet, click one of the text boxes in the row orcolumn.

3 Click the row or column heading. Now all the text boxes for the row or column areselected.

4 Enter a value for all the text boxes in the row or column.

To modify an entire row or column (Windows only):

1 In the workspace, select the points whose weights you want to edit.

2 To change all the entries of a row or column, in the Component Editor’s spreadsheet,select the row or column heading.

3 Shift select any of the text boxes in that row or column.

4 Enter a new value to update the entire row or column.

Updating component dataBy default, the Component Editor updates its display automatically to list whatevercomponents you’ve just selected in the workspace. This automatic updating enablesthe rapid selection and editing of component data.

If you prefer, you can turn automatic updating off so that the Component Editor listscomponents you selected in the workspace only when you tell it to do so. In contrastto automatic updating, this approach is called manual loading.

To use automatic updating:

In the Component Editor, select List > Auto Update, turning Auto Update on. (Thisis the default.)

To use manual loading:

1 In the Component Editor, select List > Auto Update, turning Auto Update off.


3 To list the components in the Component Editor, select List > Load SelectedComponents. Alternatively, click the Load Components button located below thespreadsheet.

Note

The display does not automatically update if you undo, redo, or modifycomponents in the workspace. For these types of changes, you mustmanually load components to refresh the Component Editor display.


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Changing the displayYou can control the number of decimal places that are shown in the ComponentEditor.

To change the display of decimal places:

1 Select List > Change Precision. The Change Precision dialog box opens.

2 Type the number of decimal places and select OK. The Channel Box fields resize toshow the precision you have specified.

Using the Attribute Spread SheetAttributes (also known as channels) are qualities or characteristics that affect thevisual representation of objects (for example. position or color) or behavior of objects(for example, the damping of a joint or magnitude of a force). You can use theAttribute Spread Sheet to set various attributes for more than one object in a pane orfor a particular node of an object. You can also use this tool to assign variousattributes from the Attribute Editor to multiple objects or nodes.

Use the Attribute Spread Sheet to see and edit attributes for multiple objectssimultaneously. It doesn't show whether attributes are connected or locked, and itdoes not show multi-attributes at all.

To examine the attributes of a node in more detail, and with a more explanatoryinterface, you can use the Attribute Editor. However, the Attribute Editor can beslower than the Attribute Spread Sheet, because you can only work on one object at atime. (The Channel Box works on all selected objects.)

Displaying the Attribute Spread SheetUse the Attribute Spread Sheet to change the attributes for an object.

To display the Attribute Spreadsheet:

1 Select the node you want to change the attributes for.

2 Select Window > General Editors > Attribute Spread Sheet. Maya displays the node’sname in the Attribute Spread Sheet.

Note

Select Channels > Settings > Reset to Default to return the width, precision,and channel name type back to the default settings.

Notes

When the Attribute Spread Sheet first opens, the Keyable tab is selected.This tab displays all the keyable attributes of the selected objects. Mostother tabs display useful subsets of these attributes. The All tab displays allattributes, keyable or not.

Many attributes useful in editing an object are not stored in its main node,but rather in the shape node associated with it. Some of the tabs in theAttribute Spread Sheet (such as Shape Keyable, Tessellation, and so on)show you attributes in the associated shape.



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To display shorter attribute names:

When you display the Attribute Spread Sheet, Maya shows the full attribute names.You can make the column smaller by showing the short names instead.

To show the short attribute name, select Names > Short Attribute Names in theAttribute Spread Sheet.

To show the long attribute name, select Names > Long Attribute Names.

Entering values for attributesYou can set any of these combinations with one text entry.

• a single attribute of one or more objects

• two or more attributes of the same object

• two or more attributes of multiple objects

For example, you can enter the value 5 in one text box to change the three attributesfor scaling along the X, Y, and Z axis for more than one object.

You can also change the values of several attributes by a relative amount. Forexample, you can add 3 to the Scale X, Scale Y, and Scale Z attributes.

Entering an exact value for object attributes

You can give one or more attributes an exact value as follows:

To change the value of a single attribute:

1 Select the object(s). The Attribute Spreadsheet displays the attributes of the object(s).

2 In the Attribute Spreadsheet, click the attribute’s text box. For example, click theScale X text box.

Tips

If you have any problems selecting a node, select Window > Hypergraph.For more information, see "Using the Hypergraph" on page 263.

To select all of an object’s nodes at once, drag a box around the object.

selected node

name of theselected node


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3 Type the new entry and press Enter or the tab key. For example, type 5 and pressEnter. For a Scale X entry, this sets the X axis scaling of all selected objects to 5 gridunits.

To change the value of two or more attributes:

1 Select the object(s). The Attribute Spreadsheet displays the attributes of the object(s).

2 In the Attribute Spreadsheet, select the desired attribute text boxes.

For example, you can click the Translate X text box and drag through to theTranslate Y text box for an object, then drag down to select the Translate X and Yboxes for other objects.

The first box you click is where you enter the value. The other selected text boxesturn black. This lets you know they’re selected in addition to the box where you’lltype the new number.

3 Type the new entry and press Enter or the tab key.

For example, type 5 and press Enter. If Translate X and Translate Y are selectedwhen you enter 5, all selected Translate X and Translate Y attributes become 5.

Tip

To select several adjacent boxes, drag through them.

To add a non-adjacent box to a selection, Ctrl-click the additional box.

To select a range of boxes, click the first box and Shift-click the last box.

To select an entire row of boxes, click the node name.

To select an entire column of boxes, click the column name.

Drag throughadjacent boxes



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Entering a relative value for attributes

You can change the values of several attributes by a relative amount. For example,you can add 3 to the Scale X, Scale Y, and Scale Z attributes. To do this, you mustenter these arithmetic operators in the text boxes:

For example, suppose you’ve selected an object named Ball. Its Scale X and Scale Yattributes are set to 3 and 5 in the Attribute Spreadsheet.

If you select the Scale X and Scale Y text boxes, typing += 2 in the text box adds 2 toeach value. So Scale X would become 5 and Scale Y would become 7.

Managing the layout of informationThere are three ways to manage information in the Attribute Spread Sheet:

• Select Layouts > Show Selected Columns Only to display selected columns ofinformation. This reduces the amount of information on your display.

• Use Layouts > Remember This Layout to save a selected layout and recall it later.

• Use Layouts > Delete Current Layout to delete a layout.

Arithmeticoperator

Operation Example entry

+= Adds the entry to the existing value ineach selected box

+= 3.5

-= Subtracts the entry to the existing value ineach selected box

-= 3.333

*= Multiplies the entry to the existing value ineach selected box

*= 7

/= Divides the entry to the existing value ineach selected box

/= 3


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To show selected columns:

1 From the Attribute Spread Sheet, select the tab that has the attributes that you wantto display. Each attribute occupies a column.

2 Click on the title of one of the columns you want to show. Ctrl-click to selectadditional columns until you have selected all the attributes you are interested in.

3 Select Layouts > Show Selected Columns Only. All the other columns are hidden,leaving only the ones you have selected. This layout persists until you select anothertab, or close the Attribute Spread Sheet. To make the new layout permanent, followthe next set of steps.

To remember a layout:

1 Select Layouts > Remember This Layout. The Remember Layout window opens.

2 Type the name of the new layout and then click Remember. Maya adds a tab for thisnew layout. You can now recall the layout by clicking on the tab.

To delete a layout:

To delete a layout, select Layouts > Delete Current Layout. Maya removes the tabfrom the window.

Setting attribute keys in the Attribute Spread SheetKeys are markers that represent the value of an attribute of an object at a particulartime. When the value of an attribute is different at one key from another, thatattribute’s value will change over time as Maya calculates the value of the attributein the time between the keys, and that attribute is animated. The act of placing a keyis called “setting a key” for that attribute at that time. For details, see Using Maya:Animation.

To set attribute keys in the Attribute Spread Sheet:

1 Select the cells you want to set keys for.

2 Select Key > Key Selected.

Note

You can remove Maya’s pre-defined tabs, but they will return the next timeyou open the window.

USING MAYA EDITORS | 9Using the Relationship Editor


217

USING THE RELATIONSHIP EDITOR

Use the Relationship Editor to edit relationships in Maya, where a relationship is acollection or grouping of objects or components. These relationships include:

• sets

• deformer sets

• character sets

• partitions

• display layers

• render layers

• light linking (light-centric and object-centric)

• UV linking (texture-centric and UV-centric)

For all these types of relationships, you can do the following in the RelationshipEditor:

• specify view options (see "Setting view options" on page 218)

• select which relationships and objects display ("Displaying relationships and objects"on page 218)

• create and delete relationships (see "Creating relationships" on page 220)

• select members of a relationship (see "Selecting relationships, relationship members,and objects" on page 221)

• add and remove members of a relationship (see "Adding and removing relationshipmembers" on page 221)

• filter which relationships and objects display in the Relationship Editor (see"Selecting which relationships and objects show" on page 219)

To open the Relationship Editor:

• From the main Maya window, select Window > Relationship Editors and select therelationship you want to work with. (You can change this from within theRelationship Editor.)

or

• From a panel, select Panels > Panel > Relationship Editor. Note that this opens theRelationship Editor in a panel rather than a separate window.

The Relationship Editor opens.

Note

The Relationship Editor is separate from the Dynamic Relationships Editor,which is used to control relationships of particle objects. See Using Maya:Dynamics for more information.


218


The left side of the editor displays relationships of the type you selected, while theright side of the editor displays objects in the scene.

Setting view optionsYou can set view options for sets, partitions, characters, and deformer sets.

You can automatically expand the relationships in the display area so you can seethe members of each relationship without having to click the plus sign beside them.In the Relationship Editor, select the relationship type, then select Options > AutoExpand Frames to turn it on.

Displaying relationships and objectsUsing the List menu, you can control which relationships are loaded in the left panelof the Relationship Editor, and which objects are loaded in right panel. By default, allrelationships and objects display, but you may want to limit the display so you cansee what you’re working on more clearly.

You can also control what displays in the Relationship Editor using the Show menu.For details, see "Selecting which relationships and objects show" on page 219.

To display relationships:

On the left panel, select one of the following options from the List menu.

Auto Load All Turn this on to automatically display all relationships of the selected type in thescene. This is the default.

Manual Load Turn this on to display relationships by choosing one of the following options:

Load fromSelection Display only the relationships associated with the objects selected

in the scene.

Add fromSelection Add to the display the relationships associated with the objects

selected in the scene.

Remove fromSelection Remove from the display the relationships associated with the

objects selected in the scene.

Select the type ofrelationship you wantto work with



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To display objects:

On the right side panel, select one of the following options from the List menu.

Auto Load All Turn this on to automatically display all objects in the scene.

Auto LoadSelection Turn this on to automatically display objects in the relationships associated with the

objects selected in the scene.

Manual Load Turn this on to display objects by choosing one of the following options:

Load List fromSelection Display only the selected objects.

Add Selection toList Add to the display the objects selected in the scene.

RemoveSelection fromList Remove from the display the objects selected in the scene.

Selecting which relationships and objects showYou can display a subset of relationships and objects in the Relationship Editor usingthe Show menu. What you can display depends on the relationship you are editing.

For more information, see "Limiting the information shown in editors" on page 258.

To select which relationships show:

• In the left panel of the Relationship Editor, select Show > Objects, then select thetypes of relationships you want to show. Only the items you select will display in theleft panel.

or

• Type text in the Text Filter box to limit the display to items with that text. For details,see "Limiting the display to items containing specific text" on page 259.

To show all relationships:

• In the left panel of the Relationship Editor, select Show > Objects, then turn off theitems you now want to show.

or

• To show all types of relationships, select Show > Show All.

To select which objects show:

• In the right panel of the Relationship Editor, select Show > Objects, then select thetypes of objects you want to show. Only the items you select will display in the rightpanel.

or

• Type text in the Text Filter box to limit the display to items with that text. For details,see "Limiting the display to items containing specific text" on page 259.


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To show all objects:

• In the right panel of the Relationship Editor, select Show > Objects, then turn off theitems you now want to show.

or

• To show all types of objects, select Show > Show All.

Creating relationshipsFrom the Relationship Editor, you can create the following relationships:

• sets (see "Creating sets" on page 303

• partitions (see "Creating, displaying, and removing partitions" on page 308)

• characters (see Using Maya: Character Setup)

• display layers (see "Using layers" on page 130)

• render layers (see "Using layers" on page 130)

• shading groups (see Using Maya: Rendering)

• light sets and object sets (see Using Maya: Rendering)

You cannot create deformer sets.

In general, use the following procedure to create a new relationship.

To create a relationship in the Relationship Editor:

1 Select the objects or items in the workspace, Outliner, or elsewhere.

If you don’t select any objects or items, an empty set will be created. You can add toit later. See "Adding and removing relationship members" on page 221.

2 Open the Relationship Editor (see "To open the Relationship Editor:" on page 217).

3 Select the type of relationship you want to create, if it isn’t already selected.

4 For sets, partitions, and characters:

• On the left panel of the editor, select Edit > Create Relationship ❒, where Relationshipis the type of relationship you are creating (set, partition, character). An Optionswindow opens.

• In the Name box, type a name for the set. For example, if you are creating a set withpolygonal objects, you might call the set polyObjects.

• Click Apply and Close.

or

For light sets, or object sets, select Edit > Create Relationship, where Relationship is thetype of relationship you are creating (partition, character, display layer).

The new set appears on the left side of the Relationship Editor.

If a relationship or other item in the scene already has the specified name, the newset name will be appended with a number. For example, entering top results in top1,because top is the name of a camera that exists in every scene by default.

To rename a relationship in the Relationship Editor:

Double-click the name of the relationshi, type the new name and press Enter.



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To delete a relationship in the Relationship Editor:

In the left panel, click on the relationship you want to delete and select Edit > DeleteHighlighted.

Selecting relationships, relationship members, and objectsYou can use the Relationship Editor to quickly select relationships, members ofrelationships, and objects in your scene.

When you select a relationship, it becomes active in the channel box, or the AttributeEditor.

To select a relationship:

1 In the left panel of the Relationship Editor, click the relationship(s) you want toselect. Notice that member of the set are highlighted in the Objects panel.

2 Select Edit > Select Highlighted. The relationship(s) becomes active.

To select set members:

1 In the left panel of the Relationship Editor, click the relationship(s) with the membersyou want to select.

2 Select Edit > Select Set Members, The members of the highlighted set are selected inthe scene.

To select objects in your scene:

1 In the right panel of the Relationship Editor, click the object(s) you want to select inyour scene.

2 Select Edit > Select Highlighted. The highlighted objects are selected in your scene.

Adding and removing relationship membersUse the Relationship Editor to quickly add and remove objects or items from arelationship.

To add objects or items to a relationship:

1 In the left panel of the Relationship Editor, click the relationship you want to addobjects or items to.

2 In the right panel of the Relationship Editor, click on the objects or items you want toadd to the relationship.

or

In the scene, select the objects or items you want to add to the relationship and selectEdit > Add Selected Items or click the plus sign button beside the relationship typeat the top left of the Relationship Editor.


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USING MAYA EDITORS | 9Using the Attribute Editor

To remove objects or items from a relationship:

1 In the left panel of the Relationship Editor, expand the relationship you want toremove objects or items from by clicking the plus sign (+) beside it, if it is not alreadyexpanded.

2 Still in the left panel, click on the object or item you want to remove from theexpanded relationship and select Edit > Remove Highlighted from Set.

or

1 In the left panel of the Relationship Editor, click the relationship you want to removeobjects or items from.

2 In the Object panel of the Relationship Editor, click on the highlighted objects oritems you want to remove from the relationship.

or

In the scene, select the objects or items you want to remove from the relationship andselect Edit > Remove Selected Items or click the minus sign (-) beside the relationshiptype at the top left of the Relationship Editor.

USING THE ATTRIBUTE EDITOR

Use the Attribute Editor to view and set the attributes for any object or node. Forexample, you can use the Attribute Editor to change the rotation order of an object(that is, the rotation order under the scale/rotate/translate attributes.) You can alsouse the Attribute Editor to turn many items in the Display menu on and off. TheAttribute Editor provides access to all attributes for an object or node.

You can also use the Channel Box and the Attribute Spreadsheet to view and setattributes. The Channel Box provides access to keyable attributes only. Forinformation on the Channel Box, see "Using the Channel Box" on page 236. TheAttribute Spreadsheet provides access to all attributes, and lets you change attributevalues for multiple objects at the same time. For information on the AttributeSpreadsheet, see "Using the Attribute Spread Sheet" on page 212.

Displaying the Attribute EditorThe Attribute Editor displays in a separate window or in the main Maya window,depending on your preference settings (Window > Settings/Preferences >Preferences, Interface category).

To open the Attribute Editor:

Do one of the following:

• Click the Show or hide the Attribute Editor button on the Status Line .

• Select Window > Attribute Editor.

• Press Ctrl-A in the view.

• Right-click the object or node and select it from the marking menu.

• Select Display > UI Elements > Attribute Editor.

• In the Hypergraph, select the object or node, then select Edit > Attributes.

• Double-click a node in the Hypershade, Visor, Multilister, or Outliner.



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To change the default display of the Attribute Editor:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences and then the Interface category.

2 Select one of the following options beside Open Attribute Editor and click Save.

In Separate Window

Opens the Attribute Editor in a separate window.

In Main Maya Window

Opens the Attribute Editor in the main Maya window where the Channel Boxnormally resides. You can switch between displaying the Attribute Editor andChannel Box using the Show or hide buttons on the Status Line or from theDisplay > UI Elements submenu. (You cannot display both the Attribute Editor andthe Channel Box in the main Maya window at the same time.)

Common attributes and buttons

Each tab in the Attribute Editor represents an individual node and contains all theattributes for that node. Click a tab to display and modify the attributes for thatnode. For details about specific attributes, refer to the appropriate Using Maya book.

The following attributes and buttons are common to most Attribute Editor tabs.

• the name of the node (for example, nurbsSphere1 or lambert1)

• Input Connection button

Click the Input Connection button to display the first input connection node for thecurrently displayed node. Right-click the Input Connection button to display a list ofall input connection nodes. You can then choose a node from this list to display inthe Attribute Editor.


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• Output Connection button

Click the Output Connection button to display the first output connection node forthe currently displayed node. Right-click the Output Connection button to display alist of all output connection nodes. You can then choose a node from this list todisplay in the Attribute Editor.

• Focus button — Click this button to set the Attribute Editor focus to this node.

• a sample image or icon that represents the node (where appropriate)

• Select button — Click this button to select the node that is currently displayed in theAttribute Editor.

• Load Attributes button — Click this button to manually load the attributes of theselected object or node.

• Copy Tab button — Click this button to create a new window containing the selectedtab. See "Viewing attributes for different objects at the same time" on page 226.

Menus

The Attribute Editor has the following menus:

List Use this menu to load attributes into the Attribute Editor and to define which itemsdisplay in the Selected/Object menu. See "Loading object attributes into theAttribute Editor" on page 225.

Selected/Object The Selected menu lists objects currently selected in the scene while the Object menu

displays all the objects in the scene of a selected type. See "Loading attributes fromthe Selected/Object menu" on page 226.

Focus This menu displays all nodes that have been selected in the scene while the AttributeEditor is open. The most recently selected node is at the top of the list. "Loadingattributes from the Focus menu" on page 226.

Attributes Use this menu to add, edit, and delete extra attributes for an object or node. Theseappear under the Extra Attributes section. You can also add, edit, and deleteattributes using the Modify menu. For details, see "Adding a custom attribute" onpage 227, "Editing custom attributes" on page 229, and "Deleting custom attributes"on page 230.

Right-click menu options

For some attributes, a pop-up menu appears when you right-click the attribute nameor text box. This pop-up menu has the following options:

output connection node

If you set a key for the attribute or connect a texture to it, the resulting outputconnection node name displays as the first menu item. To load the attributes for thisnode into the Attribute Editor, select it.

Create New Expression

Select this option to create a new expression for the attribute. For details, see"Launching the Expression Editor" on page 232.

Set Key Select this option to set a key for the attribute. For details, see "Setting keys forattributes in the Attribute Editor" on page 231. This options disappears from themenu if you have already connected a texture to the attribute.



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Set Driven Key Select this option to link the attribute values. For details, see "Linking attributes" onpage 232.

BreakConnection Select this option to break the connection between the attribute and a key or texture.

For details, see "Breaking connections" on page 232.

Create NewTexture Select this option to connect a texture to the attribute. For details, see "Mapping a

texture to an attribute value" on page 233.

Color Chooser This option displays for color attributes only. Select it to open the Color Chooser. Fordetails, see "Using the Color Chooser" on page 233.

Lock/UnlockAttribute

Select the Lock option to lock an attribute value so that it cannot be changed. UseUnlock Attribute to unlock the value. For details, see "Locking attribute values" onpage 232.

Ignore/Don’t Ignore when Rendering

This option displays only for attributes that are connected to keys or textures. Selectthe Ignore when Rendering option to ignore the connection when rendering. If theattribute has a map button, the button changes to indicate that the connection will beignored.

Select the Don’t Ignore when Rendering option to render with the set connection. Fordetails, see Using Maya: Rendering.

Loading object attributes into the Attribute EditorLoading attributes into the Attribute Editor makes them available to view or edit.There are three ways to load object attributes into the Attribute Editor:

• automatically when you select the object

• manually

• by selecting the object from the Attribute Editor Selected/Object menu

• by selecting the object from the Focus menu

Loading attributes automaticallyWhen you select an object, its attributes are automatically loaded into the AttributeEditor where you can view and edit them. Each node of the selected objectautomatically appears as a tab. This is the default method.

To automatically load attributes for selected objects:

In the Attribute Editor, select List > Auto Load Selected Attributes to turn it on.

Indicates that the connection will be ignored when rendering

Indicates that the attribute is connected to a key or texture


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Loading attributes manuallyIf Auto Load Selected Attributes is turned off, after selecting an object, you mustmanually load the object’s attributes into the Attribute Editor to view and edit them.

To manually load attributes for selected objects:

• In the Attribute Editor, select List > Load Selected Attributes.

or

• Click the Load Attributes button at the bottom of the Attribute Editor.

Loading attributes from the Selected/Object menuBy default, the menu that appears beside the List menu is the Selected menu. It listsall selected objects in the scene so they are readily available for loading into theAttribute Editor. To list selected objects in the Selected menu, select List > SelectedItems.

Instead of listing selected objects for easy availability in the Attribute Editor, you canlist objects of a specified type. If you choose to do this, the menu that appears besidethe List menu becomes the Object menu. To list all objects in the scene of a specifiedtype, select the object category from the List menu (Dynamics, Kinematics,Deformers, Lights, Shading), then select the object. For example, to list all joints inthe scene under the Object menu, select List > Kinematics > Joints.

To load attributes for objects in the Selected/Object menu:

In the Attribute Editor, select Selected > objectName, where objectName is the name ofthe object you want to load into the Attribute Editor.

Loading attributes from the Focus menuThe Focus menu displays all nodes that have been selected in the scene while theAttribute Editor is open. You can think of it as a history of the nodes you’ve viewedin the Attribute Editor. The most recently selected node is at the top of the list.

Use it to redisplay the attributes for these nodes.

To redisplay node attributes:

In the Attribute Editor menu bar, select Focus, then select the node you want to load.The attributes for the selected node appear in the Attribute Editor.

Viewing attributes for different objects at the same timeYou can simultaneously view attributes for multiple objects by opening multiplecopies of the Attribute Editor.

Note

If you select more than one item, Maya automatically updates the mostrecently selected one (that is, the most recent one in the pick list).



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To view attributes for different objects at the same time:

1 Select the first object and load the attributes into the Attribute Editor. (See "Loadingobject attributes into the Attribute Editor" on page 225.)

2 In the Attribute Editor, click Copy Tab to create another version of the AttributeEditor. It appears as a separate window with the attributes for the selected objectloaded.

3 Select the next object and load the attributes into the original Attribute Editor. Notethat the attributes for the first selected object remain loaded in the copy of theAttribute Editor.

4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each other object you want to view attributes forsimultaneously.

Adding a custom attributeCustom attributes are attributes you optionally add and define from the AddAttribute window. Although custom attributes are dynamically added to an object,we refer to them as custom to distinguish them from the built-in dynamic attributes.

Custom attributes have no direct effect on any characteristic of an object in Maya.You can use them to control a combination of other attributes. You might also use acustom attribute as a variable—a place to store a value temporarily to be read byother attributes.

When you add a custom attribute to an object, it appears in the Extra Attributessection of the Attribute Editor (and in the Channel Box, if you make the attributekeyable).

For practical examples of when you would add extra attributes, see Using Maya:Expressions.

For details on editing a custom attribute, see "Editing custom attributes" on page229. For details on deleting a custom attribute, see "Deleting custom attributes" onpage 230.


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To create a new attribute definition:

1 In the Attribute Editor, select Attributes > Add Attributes and click the New tab.

2 Set the new attribute options as follows and click the Add button.

To view the new attribute controls, expand the Extra Attributes section in theAttribute Editor.

Setting new attribute options

Attribute Name Type the name of the attribute you are adding.

Make Attribute Keyable

Turn this option on to make this attribute keyable. For information about keyableattributes, see Using Maya: Animation.

Data Type Select the data type for the attribute:

Vector Creates a vector attribute consisting of three floating point values.

Float Creates a floating point attribute.

Integer Creates an integer attribute.

Boolean Creates an attribute consisting of an on/off turn.

String Creates a string attribute that accepts alphanumeric entries as dataentry, such as a filename.

Enum Creates an attribute that accepts selections from an “enumerated”or drop-down list.



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Attribute Type Select a type:

Scalar Creates a per object attribute that you can set to a single value thatapplies to every particle in the object. A vector scalar is considereda single value with three numbers. If you select Scalar, you canspecify Minimum, Maximum, and Default values for a Float orInteger attribute.

Array Creates a per particle attribute. You can set this type of attribute todifferent values for each particle. If you select Array, you can alsocreate a counterpart initial state attribute by turning on Add InitialState Attribute.

Add Initial StateAttribute Turn on to create a corresponding initial state attribute for the

added attribute. Without this corresponding attribute, you can’tsave a particle object’s current attribute values for initial stateusage. You must write a creation expression if you decide toinitialize the custom attribute’s value upon rewinding theanimation. If you know you’re going to write a creation expressionfor a custom attribute, you can set Add Initial State Attribute to offwhen you add the attribute. Otherwise, set Add Initial StateAttribute to on whenever you add a custom per particle attribute.

NumericAttributes For scalar attributes, Minimum and Maximum set the lowest and highest values you

can enter for the attribute in the Attribute Editor or Channel Box. Default sets thedefault value for the attribute.

Enum Names When you're adding a new Enum attribute, you need to define the list of acceptablestrings. There are two default strings, "Green" and "Blue", in the Enum Names listthat you can change. To change, select Green or Blue and then enter the new stringin the New Name text box. To add a new string, click the blank entry below the lastlist item and type the string in the New Name text box.

Editing custom attributesYou can edit custom (or dynamic) attributes from either the main menu (Modify >Edit Attribute) or from the Attribute Editor (Attributes > Rename Attributes).Youcan perform the following editing operations on custom attributes.

• You can rename a custom attribute. Select it in the Attributes list and modify thename in the New Name text box.

• You can add, remove, or modify minimum and maximum values (for Integer, Float,and Vector type attributes). Select the attribute in the Attributes list and then turn onor off the Has Minimum and Has Maximum checkboxes, as well as type values forthese in the corresponding Min/Max text boxes.

• You can control the display of custom attributes in the Channel Box. Select theattribute in the Attributes list and then turn the Keyable check box on or off. WhenKeyable is turned on, the custom attribute appears in the Channel Box.

Note

If you select Vector or Integer, you can also set Numeric Attributes.


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• You can change Enum strings. Select the Enum attribute in the Attributes list andmodify the strings in the Enum list the same way you created them.

Deleting custom attributesYou can delete custom (or dynamic) attributes from either the main menu (Modify >Delete Attribute) or from the Attribute Editor (Attributes > Delete Attributes). Youcannot delete built-in dynamic attributes.

Changing node behaviorYou can improve Maya’s performance by changing node behavior settings.

To change node behavior, select the node and expand the Node Behavior section ofthe Attribute Editor.

Caching Turn Caching on to temporarily store upstream node evaluations in the cache. WhenMaya needs these evaluations (as input to the node), it uses the information stored inthe cache rather than re-evaluating the upstream node. If no changes have beenmade to the node, it redraws more quickly. The cache is destroyed when you edit anattribute. Note that caching uses more memory, which could affect Maya’sperformance.

Node State Changing the node state can improve performance. There are six possible nodestates:

Normal Causes the node to behave normally, according to the definedsettings and effects. This is the default.

HasNoEffect Disables any effects on the node so that fewer calculations arenecessary at the time of redraw. Note that the effect will notrender until you reset the Node State back to Normal. Mayaevaluates the nodes in the node’s history, but not the node itself.

Note

String type custom attributes do not appear in the Channel Box, thereforeyou can’t edit the Keyable check box for them.

Note

When you create a Vector type custom attribute, three child attributes arecreated (nameX, nameY, nameZ, where name is the name of the attribute).For example, if you created a vector attribute named Speed, the childrenwould be SpeedX, SpeedY, and SpeedZ. You can’t access the NumericAttribute Properties (Keyable and Min/Max) of the parent vector attribute.You have to select a child attribute and modify its Numeric AttributeProperties.



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For example, if you translate a cluster to deform a geometry, thenset the Node State of the cluster node to HasNoEffect, thegeometry will appear undeformed, as though the translation hadnot occurred. To view the effect, change the Node State back toNormal.

Blocking Temporarily hides the node and does not display the results ofany input (upstream evaluations) to the node. This can speed theredraw. It is also useful when you have complex scenes and wantto edit only one aspect of a node. Blocked nodes do not render.

For example, if you have a complex revolved surface and want toedit the curve, but don’t want to wait while the curve redraws,select Blocking and edit the curve. To display the modifiedrevolved surface, reset the Node State to Normal.

Note that Blocking has no effect on deformers.

Waiting-Normal If the dependency graph refresh performance setting(Window > General Editors > Performance Settings) is set toDemand or Release, the node will take the Normal state when inthe Hypergraph you select Update or release the mouse button.

Waiting-HasNoEffect If the dependency graph refresh performance setting

(Window > General Editors > Performance Settings) is set toDemand or Release, the node will take the HasNoEffect state whenin the Hypergraph you select Update or release the mouse button.

Waiting-Blocking If the dependency graph refresh performance setting

(Window > General Editors > Performance Settings) is set toDemand or Release, the node will take the Blocking state when inthe Hypergraph you select Update or release the mouse button.

Setting keys for attributes in the Attribute EditorYou can set a key for an object attribute in the Attribute Editor. For details aboutkeys, see Using Maya: Animation.

To set a key for one attribute:


2 Click the timeline frame number where you want to set the key.

3 In the Attribute Editor, select the attribute value.

4 Type the value of the attribute and press Enter.

5 Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Set Key. This sets the key for theobject attribute value.

Click the timeline


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Linking attributesMaya has a special type of key called a driven key that links one attribute value toanother. When you create a driven key, you specify a driver attribute value and adriven attribute value. The value of the driven attribute is locked to a correspondingvalue of the driver attribute.

You can link attributes from the Attribute Editor by right-clicking the attribute textbox or label and selecting Set Driven Key. For details, see Using Maya: Animation.

Breaking connectionsIn the Attribute Editor, the text box for an attribute that is connected to anexpression, key, or other attribute (for example texture attribute) is displayed in adifferent color, depending on your color settings.

To break a connection:


2 In the Attribute Editor, right-click the attribute name or text box and select BreakConnections.

Locking attribute valuesYou can lock an attribute value to avoid accidentally changing it later.

To lock an attribute:


2 In the Attribute Editor, set the attribute value you want to lock.

3 Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Lock Attribute.

This locks the value. The Attribute Editor displays locked attributes with a graybackground. (This color may not be visible while the text box is selected.)

When you’ve locked an attribute, you cannot change its value in the Attribute Editor,Channel Box, the workspace, or elsewhere.

You must unlock the attribute to change its value.

To unlock an attribute:


2 In the Attribute Editor, right-click the attribute name or text box and select UnlockAttribute.

Launching the Expression EditorYou can launch the Expression Editor for the attribute selected in the AttributeEditor.

Tip

To set a key for all attributes, use the Channel Box. For details, see "Settingkeys for attributes from the Channel Box" on page 244.

USING MAYA EDITORS | 9Using the Color Chooser


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To start the Expression Editor:

In the Attribute Editor, right-click the attribute name or text box and select CreateNew Expression. The Expression Editor opens.

For details on its use, see Using Maya: Expressions.

Mapping a texture to an attribute valueYou can map textures to non-keyed attributes in the Attribute Editor.

To map a texture to an attribute value:

• In the Attribute Editor, right-click the attribute name or text box and select CreateNew Texture.

or

• Click the map button beside the attribute . The button changes to indicate there isa connection. Click this button to view the attributes for the connected node.

The Create Render Node window opens. For details, see Using Maya: Rendering.

USING THE COLOR CHOOSER

The Color Chooser is a color selection tool that launches when you click a colorattribute in the Attribute Editor. (It also opens when assigning interface colors in theColors window; see "Changing color settings" on page 330 for more information.)

When you select a new color in the Color Chooser, it becomes the current color,shown in the top left tile of the Color Chooser and also in the color block of theColors window or Attribute Editor. You can then close the Color Chooser.

The Color chooser has several color selection tools. See the following illustration andtopics for an explanation.


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Using the color wheel and storage tilesThe fastest way to select a color is to drag the selector in the color wheel. Once youhave the color selected, you can drag the brightness control on the left.

Another quick way to select a color is to left click on one of the storage tiles at thetop. To store the current color on a tile, right click a tile or click the arrow button.

Using the eyedropperThe eyedropper tool lets you grab a color from anywhere on the computer screen,including other applications. Click the eyedropper button, then position theeyedropper cursor anywhere on your screen. Click again to grab the color.

Using the slidersFor precise color selection, you can use the color sliders. You can switch betweenRGB sliders (Red, Green, Blue) or HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value), depending on thecolor model you want.

HSV In this color model, Hue corresponds to the pure colors of the rainbow, such asyellow, blue, and green. Saturation is the amount of white mixed with the hue to setthe intensity of the color. Value is the amount of black mixed with the hue to make itdarker. If the Value is 0 (zero), then the color is black, regardless of the values forHue and Saturation.

RGB This color model describes how red, green, and blue light combines at differentintensities to produce different colors. Using RGB, you can choose which value rangeyou want.

0 to 1 Each component color has a value from 0 to 1.

Storage tiles—to store,right-click a tile or click thearrow button

Current color

Color wheel

Eyedropper

Sliders (RGB and HSV)

Blend boxPalettes (includingAdobe palettes)



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0 to 255 Each component color has a value from 0 (zero intensity) to 255(full intensity). This model is useful because it relates directly tohow monitors emit light to create colors. However, it is often hardfor people to figure out what the RGB values are for a specificcolor.

A (alpha) slider With the A (alpha) slider, you can control the opacity or transparency of the coloryou choose. Many Maya options already have an alpha or transparency control, butif it does not or you are calling the Color Chooser from the command line, you canuse this slider to control the alpha channel.

Using the Blend boxThe Blend box creates a blend between colors so that you can select a new color fromthe blended gradient. The following illustration explains how to use it.

Using the PaletteIn the Palette section, you can create and save custom color palettes. You can alsoopen Adobe color palettes (file extension .aco), if it is in one of the following formats:RGB, HSV, CMYK, Lab, or Inverted Lab. (Other formats, such as Pantone, are notsupported.)

The following illustration highlights the palette components.

To create a custom palette

1 Select a color using any of the Color Chooser tools, such as the Wheel.

2 Right click on any tile to store the current color there.

3 To create a blended gradient, select several tiles by dragging the mouse, then clickBlend.

A color gradient is created between the first and last tiles in your selection. Forexample, as shown below, you may want more color gradations than in the defaultpalette.

1. To set a blend color,click a corner. It’sreplaced with the currentcolor in memory.

2. Click anywhere inthe blend box to selecta blended color.

Choose a palettefrom the pull-down Click Blend to

create a colorgradient between agroup of cells youselectedLeft click a cell to

select a color...or...right click a cell tostore a color

Open, Save, andClose palettesOpen, Save, andClose palettes


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USING MAYA EDITORS | 9Using the Channel Box

4 When finished assigning colors, click Save and specify the filename.

You can save the file in any directory. It is saved in ascii format.

USING THE CHANNEL BOX

Like the Attribute Editor, you use the Channel Box to modify an object’s attributevalues. The Channel Box is different from the Attribute Editor in that:

• It displays only the keyable attributes for the selected object. (You can make an objectkeyable, and therefore display in the Channel box by selectingWindows > Channel Control. For information on using Channel Control, see UsingMaya: Animation.)

• You can change multiple attribute values of multiple objects (see "Entering values forattributes" on page 240)

• It takes up much less space in the window.

• You can control construction history.

The information displayed in the Channel Box varies, depending on what kind ofobject or component you have selected. If you haven’t selected an object, the ChannelBox region is blank.

Displaying the Channel BoxThe Channel Box appears in the Maya window only if you choose to display it. Itappears to the right of the workspace.

To display the Channel Box:

1 Select the object (or component) that has the attributes you want to modify.

2 If the Channel Box is not already displayed, click the Show or hide the Channel Box/

layer Editor button on the Status Line or turn on Display >UI Elements > Channel Box/Layer Editor. The following example shows theattributes of a selected sphere in the Channel Box.

Note

You can display either the Channel Box or the Attribute Editor in the mainMaya window, but not both.

Blended tiles



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Displaying object attributesWhen you select a geometric object, the Channel Box displays these sections:

Note

Use the Channel Box Bar to switch between the Channel Box and LayerEditor.

Section Usage

objectName Lists the keyable transform attributes that translate, scale,and rotate the object’s absolute position in the world space.Also shows the object’s visibility attribute.

SHAPES Lists the names of nodes that define the geometry of theobject. Other nodes, such as related particle emitters maybe found here.

INPUTS Lists the names of other nodes that affect this one.Typically, these comprise the “construction history” of thenode.

OUTPUTS Lists the names of the output nodes (nodes that receivedata) for this node.

Show the Layer EditorShow the Channel Box Show the Channel Box and

Layer Editor

Channel BoxSelected object

Object attributes

Object attributes


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If you’ve selected two or more objects, the Channel Box displays the attributes forthe last object selected only. To display the attributes in the Channel Box of anotherselected object, select Object > objectName.

Note that edits you make in the Channel Box will affect all selected objects of thesame type as the one displayed.

Adding attributes to the Channel BoxThe Channel Box includes keyable attributes only. To add an attribute to the ChannelBox, you must make it keyable.

To make an attribute keyable:

1 Select the objects that have the attribute(s) you want to make keyable.

2 Select Window > General Editors > Channel Control and click the Keyable tab. TheChannel Control window opens.

3 In the Non Keyable box, select the attributes you want to make keyable. Ctrl- orShift-click to select more than one attribute.

4 If you selected more than one object, turn on Change all selected objects of the sametype to enable the editing of attributes common to the selected objects.

5 Click Move. The selected attributes move to the Keyable box.

6 Click Close. The attributes appear in the Channel Box.

Displaying component attributesIf you display attributes of an object component, the Channel Box displays only onesection for shape attributes that pertain to the component.

For example, suppose you’ve created a NURBS curve with the following CVs:

If you turn on component selection mode (in the main menu bar) and select the CVs,the Channel Box displays this:

Note

When you set an attribute value using an expression or a Key, the attributetext box displays in a different color. (The actual color depends on whichcolor scheme you are using.)



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You can display the CV values in the Channel Box and enter new values. To displaythe values, click CVs (click to show) in the Channel Box.

Changing the display formatTo make more workspace available while you display the Channel Box, you candisplay abbreviations for the attribute names.

To display attribute name abbreviations:

In the Channel Box, select Channels > Channel Names > Short.

There are three choices for names: Long displays the full, correct channel name,Short displays the abbreviation, and Nice displays the name in the most readableform.

Complete names Abbreviations


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Entering values for attributesWith a single entry from your keyboard, you can change the value of:

• a single attribute of one or more objects

• two or more attributes of the same object

• two or more attributes of multiple objects

You can set any of these combinations with one text entry.

For example, you can enter the value 5 in one text box to change the three attributesfor scaling along the X, Y, and Z axis.

You can also change the values of several attributes by a relative amount. Forexample, you can add 3 to the Scale X, Scale Y, and Scale Z attributes.

Entering an exact value for object attributesYou can give one or more attributes an exact value as follows:

To change the value of a single attribute of one or more objects:

1 Select the object or objects.

For example, select the object from the Outliner or in the workspace. If you selecttwo or more objects, the Channel Box displays only the attributes of the object youselected last.

2 In the Channel Box, click the attribute’s text box.

For example, click the Scale X text box.

Tip

The Channel Box is set to only show two decimal places of precision. Youcan increase this precision up to fifteen places by selecting Channels >Settings > Change Precision.

Tip

When you enter a value in the Channel Box, you can press the tab key orone of the Enter (or Return) keys. If you press the Enter key on the numerickeypad, the keyboard focus will stay in the Channel Box. If you press theother Enter key, the keyboard focus will go back to the last selected panel.

Object 1

Scale Y

Object 2

Scale XScale YScale Z

Object 3

Scale XScale Y

Object 4

Scale XScale Y



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3 Type the new entry and press Enter.

For example, type 5 and press Enter. For a Scale X entry, this sets the X axis scalingof all selected objects to 5 grid units.

To change the value of two or more attributes of the same object:


2 In the Channel Box, select the desired attribute text boxes.

For example, you can click the Translate X text box and drag through to theTranslate Z text box.

The first box you click is where you enter the value. The other selected text boxesturn black. This lets you know they’re selected in addition to the box where you’lltype the new number.

3 Type the new entry and press Enter.

For example, type 5 and press Enter. If X translate, Y translate, and Z translate areselected when you enter 5, all three attributes become 5.

Tip

You can select multiple text boxes:

To select several adjacent boxes, drag through them.

To add a non-adjacent box to a selection, Ctrl-click the additional box.

To select a range of boxes, click the first box and Shift-click the last box.

Click the text box

Drag through adjacent boxes


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To change the value of two or more attributes of multiple objects:

1 Select the objects.

2 In the Channel Box, select the attribute’s text boxes.

3 Type the entry and press Enter.

Entering a relative value for attributesYou can change the values of several attributes by a relative amount. For example,you can add 3 to the Scale X, Scale Y, and Scale Z attributes. To do this, you mustenter these arithmetic operators in the text boxes:

For example, suppose you’ve selected an object named Ball. Its Scale X and Scale Yattributes are set to 3 and 5 in the Channel Box.

If you select the Scale X and Scale Y text boxes, typing += 2 in the text box adds 2 toeach value. So Scale X would become 5 and Scale Y would become 7.

Entering values using manipulatorsBy default, when you click an object’s translate, rotate, or scale attribute name (suchas Translate X), manipulators appear on the object in the workspace.

The manipulators are the same ones displayed with the Move, Rotate, and Scaletools. You can drag the manipulators directly using the left mouse button.

Arithmeticoperator

Operation Example entry

+= Adds the entry to the existing value ineach selected box

+= 3.5

-= Subtracts the entry to the existing value ineach selected box

-= 3.333

*= Multiplies the entry to the existing value ineach selected box

*= 7

/= Divides the entry to the existing value ineach selected box

/= 3



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If you do not want to display these manipulators, select Channels > Settings, thenselect either No Manips or Invisible Manips. If you select No Manips, you can onlyperform these operations from the Channel Box by entering values in the text boxes.If you select Invisible Manips, you perform these operations using the mouse (see"Entering values with the mouse (channel slider)" on page 243) or by entering valuesin the text boxes.

You can also switch between using manipulators, no manipulators, and the mouse(channel slider) using the buttons at the top of the Channel Box.

Entering values with the mouse (channel slider)For most attributes in the Channel Box, you can click the attribute name or text boxthen drag the middle mouse button in the workspace to change its value. Draggingto the right decreases the value, dragging to the left increases the value. You can alsopress the Ctrl key while dragging for fine control.

To use this interactive channel slider, you must set the channel box to use standardor invisible manipulators (Channels > Settings then select Standard Manips orInvisible Manips). If you select Channels > Settings > No Manips, you cannot enterattribute values with the mouse. You must enter the values for these attributes in thetext boxes.

When you select Channels > Settings > Invisible Manips, the cursor changes to a leftand right pointing arrow when you press the middle mouse button, indicating thatyou are using the channel slider to change values.

You can set how quickly the channel slider responds when you drag. SelectChannels > Settings, then select Slow, Medium, or Fast or switch these settings usingthe buttons at the top of the Channel Box.

You can also specify whether the attribute values change linearly as you drag (valuesincrease steadily as you drag), or hyperbolically (values increase more sharply asyou drag). Turn off Channels > Settings > Hyperbolic to change the values linearly,and on to change values hyperbolically, or switch the settings using the buttons atthe top of the Channel Box.

Entering values for attributes with a pop-up menuFor some attributes, a pop-up menu appears when you click the mouse in its textbox. You can choose from the selections displayed by dragging the mouse over thedesired choice.

StandardManips

InvisibleManips

NoManips

Medium FastSlow

Linear Hyperbolic


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Example

Suppose you add the predefined Node State attribute to a NURBS sphere’s keyableattributes. (You can do this with Window > General Editors > Channel Control.)Node State appears in the list of attributes below the transform attributes.

If you click in the Node State text box, a pop-up menu appears with six choices:Normal, HasNoEffect, Blocking, Waiting-Normal, Waiting-HasNoEffect, Waiting-Blocking. Drag the mouse over the desired selection. For information on these states,see "Changing node behavior" on page 230.

Setting keys for attributes from the Channel BoxYou can set a key for one or more object attributes in the Channel Box. For detailsabout keys, see Using Maya: Animation.

To set a key for one attribute:



3 Click the attribute name to select it.

For example, click Translate X.

4 Type the value of the attribute and press Enter.

For example, enter 10 and press Enter.

5 In the Channel Box, choose Channels > Key Selected.

or

Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Key Selected.

This sets the key for the object attribute value you specified.

Setting a key for all attributes


Click the timeline



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2 Enter values for the desired attributes in the Channel Box. Press Enter after enteringthe attributes.

3 In the Channel Box, select Channels > Key All.

or

Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Key All.

This sets the key for all the object attribute values displayed in the Channel Box.

To copy keyed attribute values:


2 In the Channel Box, select the desired attributes. (You can select either the attributename, or the attribute text boxes.)

3 Select Channels > Copy Selected.

or

Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Copy Selected.

4 Select the attributes you want to paste the keyframed values to.

5 Select Channels > Paste Selected.

or

Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Paste Selected.

Setting breakdown keys for attributes from the Channel BoxBreakdowns are a type of key that maintains a proportional relationship withadjacent keys. You can set a breakdown key for an attribute from the Channel Box.For information about breakdowns, see Using Maya: Animation.

To set a breakdown for selected attributes:


2 Click the timeline frame number where you want to set the breakdown.

3 Select the attributes you want to set breakdowns for.

4 Enter the values of the attributes.

5 Select Channels > Breakdown Selected.

or

Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Breakdown Selected.

Note

You can key the same attribute value for two or more objects. Select theobjects, click the frame, enter the value in the text box, then selectChannels > Key Selected.

You can also key multiple attribute values for multiple objects. Follow theinstructions in the previous paragraph, only select several attribute textboxes using Ctrl- or Shift-click before typing the numerical entry.


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To set breakdowns for all attributes:


2 Click the timeline frame number where you want to set the breakdowns.

3 Enter the values of the attributes.

4 In the Channel Box, select Channels > Breakdown All.

or

Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Breakdown All.

Breaking connections from the Channel BoxIn the Channel Box, the text box for an attribute that is connected to an expression,key, or other attribute (for example texture attribute) is displayed in a different color,depending on your color settings.

To break a connection:


2 In the Channel Box, select the connected attribute (click the attribute name or textbox).

3 Select Channels > Break Connections.

or

Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Break Connections.

Locking attribute values from the Channel BoxYou can lock an attribute value to avoid accidentally changing it later.

To lock an attribute:


2 In the Channel Box, click the attribute name.

3 If you need to set the attribute value before locking it, type a value and press Enter.

4 In the Channel Box, select Channels > Lock Selected.

or

Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Lock Selected.

This locks the value. The Channel Box displays locked attributes with a graybackground. (This color may not be visible while the text box is selected.)

When you’ve locked an attribute, you cannot change its value in the Channel Box,the workspace, or elsewhere.

You must unlock the attribute to change its value.



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To unlock an attribute:


2 In the Channel Box, click the attribute name.

3 In the Channel Box, select Channels > Unlock Selected.

or

Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Unlock Selected.

Launching the Expression Editor from the Channel BoxYou can launch the Expression Editor for the attribute selected in the Channel Box.

To start the Expression Editor:

• In the Channel Box, select Channels > Expressions.

or

• Right-click the attribute name or text box and select Expressions.

The Expression Editor appears. See Using Maya: Expressions for details on its use.

Linking attributes from the Channel BoxMaya has a special type of key called a driven key that links one attribute value toanother. When you create a driven key, you specify a driver attribute value and adriven attribute value. The value of the driven attribute is locked to a correspondingvalue of the driver attribute.

You can link attributes from the Channel Box by selecting the attribute and thenselecting Channels > Set Driven Key (or by right-clicking the attribute name or textbox and selecting Set Driven Key). For details, see Using Maya: Animation.

Modifying an object’s history (inputs)Use the INPUTS component of the Channel Box to modify an object’s constructionhistory. Since all objects in Maya can be created with “History On,” you can changeinitial parameters after the fact.

In the following example, we change the object’s radius from 0.5 to 0.8, its heightfrom 1 to 2, and its X, Y, and Z subdivisions from 20, 1, and 8 to 18, 2, and 5,respectively.

To modify an object’s history:

1 Select the object you want to modify.

Tip

You can lock two or more attributes at the same time. Ctrl- or Shift-clickthe attribute names to select them, then select Channel > Lock Selected (orright-click the attribute names and select Lock Selected).


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2 Type the new information in the respective boxes and press Enter. Each time youchange part of the object’s history, Maya changes the object.

3 To return to the original setting for Subdivision Z, select Edit > Undo or press Ctrl-Z.The object returns to its original scale for Subdivision Z.

4 Repeat for the other boxes.

Click here todisplay the boxes

USING MAYA EDITORS | 9Using the Outliner


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USING THE OUTLINER

You can use the Outliner to do these tasks:

• Examine the structure and components of the scene. See "Navigating the Outliner"on page 251.

• Display shape nodes, connections, and attributes. See "Displaying shape nodes" onpage 252.

• Make an object the child of a parent object. A child adopts attribute changes made tothe parent. See "Parenting objects" on page 254.

• Select and rename an object. See "Selecting and renaming objects" on page 256.

• Reorder nodes. Reordering a node’s position in the Outliner affects Maya’sevaluation order for the object. See "Reordering nodes" on page 257.

You can open the Outliner in its own window or in a workspace panel. If youdisplay it in a workspace panel, you see the Maya user interface and the Outliner atthe same time without having to reposition the windows.

To open the Outliner in its own window:

From the menu bar or Hotbox, select Window > Outliner. The Outliner opens.

Scale and move the window as needed.

To open the Outliner in a workspace panel:

From a workspace panel, select Panels > Panel > Outliner.

Tip

If your scene has many objects or it contains character skeletons, considerusing the Hypergraph instead of the Outliner. The Hypergraph displaysthe scene hierarchy in a graphical format that’s more convenient forcomplex scenes. See Chapter 10, “Using the Hypergraph.”

Menu bar

Scenehierarchy


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Outliner panel items

The Outliner’s menu bar selections control what types of objects and other items aredisplayed in the scene hierarchy. A scene hierarchy is sometimes referred to as aDAG (for Directed Acyclic Graph).

The Outliner lists invisible objects, such as the perspective, top, front, and sidecameras, in blue text. In a new, empty scene, the Outliner lists only these objects andthe default light and object sets. As you add objects to the scene, they appear in theOutliner.

Understanding scene hierarchy terminologyA common technique in modeling, rendering, and animating is to work with objectsin a hierarchical relationship. To work with a hierarchy you must understand theterminology for describing the relationship of objects.

We use the following figure to define common hierarchy terminology:

Parent An object or other item that controls attributes of one or more children. A parent canalso be the child of another parent.

In the figure, InnerSolarSystem is a parent of Sun. Sun is a parent of Mercury, Venus,Earth, and Mars. Earth is a parent of Moon.

Child An object whose attributes are controlled by its parent. A child can be the parent ofother children. A child is connected to its parent by an indented right angle line.

Sun is a child of InnerSolarSystem. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are children ofSun. Moon is a child of Earth.

Node A parent, child, or independent object or item.

InnerSolarSystem, Sun, Moon, persp, top, and all other entries in the example arenodes.

Hierarchy The arrangement of all connected nodes that make up a scene or object.

The scene hierarchy is made of all nodes in the figure. The Earth hierarchy consistsof Earth and Moon.

Transform node A node that contains an object’s transformation attributes—values for its translation,rotation, and scale. It also holds information on any parent-child relationships it haswith other nodes. Transform nodes are also called DAG objects.



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InnerSolarSystem, Sun, Moon, and all other entries in the example are transformnodes.

Shape node A node that holds an object’s geometry attributes or attributes other than the object’stransform node attributes. A shape node is always a child of a transform node.

Shape nodes do not appear in the Outliner by default. To display shape nodes, see"Displaying shape nodes" on page 252.

Navigating the OutlinerAs you examine a scene with many objects, you must scroll or expand the Outlinerpanel. You’ll also need to expand or collapse the display of nodes. You expand anode to see the child node below it. You collapse a node to simplify your view of thehierarchy.

To expand a node:

Click the plus sign ( ) to its left.

The plus sign ( ) changes to a minus sign ( ).

To collapse a node:

Click minus sign ( ) to its left.

The minus sign ( ) changes to a plus sign ( ). Note that Hierarchies becomehighlighted if they are collapsed but contain an item that is selected.

To expand a node’s entire hierarchy:

Shift-click the plus sign ( ) to its left.

The plus sign ( ) changes to a minus sign ( ).

If your scene has many objects in a complex hierarchy, you might need to expandmany nodes to find a child. To find the node quickly, you can select the object in theworkspace and choose a menu entry to expand all nodes necessary to list the object.

To split the Outliner window:

You can split the Outliner window in order to see either end of a long list. To splitthe window, click the separator at the bottom of the window and drag it up. Restorefull display by dragging the separator back to the bottom. As visual cue, movingyour cursor over the separator bar changes it to: (UNIX) or (Windows).

Tip

To select Outliner menus more conveniently from a pop-up menu, click theright mouse button in the Outliner window.

Drag the separatorbar to split the outliner


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Displaying shape nodesBy default, the Outliner displays only DAG objects in the scene. DAG objects aretransform nodes. You can also display shape nodes, the nodes that hold an object’sgeometry attributes or attributes other than the object’s transform node attributes.

To display shape nodes:

In the Outliner, turn on Display > Shapes.

Example

Suppose you select Create > NURBS Primitives > Sphere to create a sphere. Mayacreates a transform node and a shape node.

If you turn on Display > Shapes and expand the nurbsSphere1 node, the shape nodeappears underneath.

Maya gives the nodes the default names shown in the figure. The nurbsSphere1 isthe transform node; nurbsSphereShape1 is the shape node. If you rename thetransform node, for example, as Bubble, Maya renames the shape node BubbleShape.

If you rename the shape node, Maya does not rename the transform node. Mayadoesn’t transmit a child’s attribute changes up to its parent.

Displaying attributesYou can display attributes of the nodes shown in the Outliner. To simplify theOutliner’s appearance, you can also limit the display of attributes to the followingcategories:

• keyable attributes

• translate, scale, and rotate attributes

• attributes connected to an animation curve or expression

• attributes connected to any controlling node

To display all attributes:

1 Select Display > Attributes (Channels) to turn it on. (Make sure you are not showingonly selected items by selecting Show > Show All.)

A plus symbol ( ) appears to the left of each node.

2 Click ( ) to display the node’s attributes.

The ( ) changes to a minus symbol ( ) when the node’s attributes are expanded.You can click the minus symbol to collapse the attributes.

Note

The Display and Show menu settings are saved with a scene file. The menusettings are not saved when you open a new or different scene.



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Some attributes also appear with ( ) to the left. These are compound attributesconsisting of two or more attributes. Click ( ) for a compound attribute to see itscomponent attributes. For example, the compound Translate attribute is made ofTranslate X, Translate Y, and Translate Z attributes.

You can’t use the Outliner to change attributes’ values. You can set them in theChannel Box, Attribute Editor, or Attribute Spreadsheet. Note also that you use thosetools to set the value of noncompound attributes only. You can set compoundattributes (to set the component attributes) only with MEL commands.

To display only keyable attributes:

1 Select Display > Attributes (Channels) to turn it on.

2 Select Show > Attributes > Keyable to turn it on.

To display only translate, scale, and rotate attributes:


2 Select Show > Attributes and turn on one of these:

Rotate Displays only Rotate attributes.

Scale Displays only Scale attributes.

Translate Displays only Translate attributes.

Scale Rotate Translate

Displays only Scale, Rotate, and Translate attributes.

3 Click ( ) to expand the compound Translate, Rotate, or Scale attributes into thecomponent attributes.

For example, if you expand the compound Translate attribute, the Outliner displaysTranslate X, Translate Y, and Translate Z attributes.

To display only attributes connected to a controlling node:


2 Click ( ) to display the node’s attributes.

3 Select Display > Connected to turn it on.

This displays only the attributes whose value is connected to the following types ofcontrolling nodes:

• keys

• set driven key

• constraint

• motion path

Tips

To open the Attribute Editor for a node, double-click the icon beside thenode name.

You can double-click a noncompound attribute to start the ExpressionEditor with the attribute automatically selected.


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• expression

• any other direct connection

Example

Suppose you create a NURBS sphere named Ball and a NURBS cone named Cone.You write an expression to assign the value of Ball’s translateY attribute to Cone’stranslateY attribute.

If you select Cone, turn on Display > Attributes (Channels) andDisplay > Connected, then expand Cone and the Translate attribute, the Outlinerdisplays the following:

To display only attributes connected to anim curves or expressions:

Select Show > Attributes and turn on one of these:

Driven by Anim Curve

Displays only attributes with an animation curve. This includes attributes animatedwith keys, set driven keys, constraints, and motion paths.

Driven by Expression

Displays only attributes controlled by expressions.

To display all attributes again:

Select Show > Attributes > Clear Below.

Displaying specific types of nodesTo simplify the Outliner’s appearance, you can limit node display to variouscategories.

To display only specific types of nodes:

1 Turn on Display > Shapes or Display > DAG Objects Only, as appropriate.

2 Select Show > Objects > and the type of node.

To display all nodes again:

Select Show > Objects > Clear Below.

Parenting objectsYou can make an object the child of a parent object. The child adopts some or allattribute changes made to the parent.

For example, suppose you animate a planet to orbit the center of the workspace. Ifyou make a moon the child of the planet, it follows the motion of the planet.

Only connected attributesare displayed in the list ofattributes



255

Though the moon is the child of the planet, you can also give the moon motion that’sindependent of the planet. For example, you can make it orbit the planet. If you laterchange the orbiting motion of the planet, the moon continues to follow the planet’smotion, but stills retains its original orbiting motion.

To control multiple objects with one node, you can also create an empty group andmake several objects its children. By grouping objects under one node, you canmove, shade, apply texture, and do many other actions to all the objects by workingwith the group node.

Example

To parent an object in the Outliner:

1 Make sure both objects are visible in the Outliner.

If you can’t see both nodes at the same time even after maximizing and scrolling theOutliner, use Edit > Parent in Maya’s main menu bar. In the Outliner, Ctrl-click thechildren first, then Ctrl-click the parent, then select Edit > Parent.

2 In the Outliner, use the middle mouse button to drag the child node onto the parentnode.

To parent several objects to a new group node:

1 From the main menu bar, choose Create > Empty Group. A new group node appearsin the Outliner named null1. This node is an invisible, empty object.

2 Use the middle mouse button to drag an object node onto the null1 node. The objectbecomes a child of the null1 node.

3 Repeat this step for other objects to be children of the group.

4 Rename the null1 node to something more meaningful.

For example, you might rename a group with four flower petals as flower. TheOutliner displays the objects parented to the group node.

1. Create original objects.

2. Create empty node and name it Tires.

4. Move, rotate, shade Tires.

3. Group objects under Tires.

FrontTire

Tires

BackTire

BackTire

Tires

FrontTire

Moon is now a child of Planet

Use the middle mousebutton to drag Moononto Planet


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If you modify the group node attributes, its corresponding member’s attributes arealso modified. For example, if you decrease the Y scale attribute for a flower groupnode, the Y scale attributes of the four petals decrease also.

To break the relationship between parent and child:

1 Select the child.

2 From the Maya main menu bar, select Edit > Unparent.

Prefixing hierarchy namesYou can give the same prefix to all objects within a hierarchy. For example, if youselect a parent object and give it a prefix, all objects under that parent will now havethe same prefix name.

To assign prefix hierarchy names:

1 Select the parent.

2 From the Maya main menu bar, select Modify > Prefix Hierarchy Names.

3 Enter a prefix name in the Prefix Hierarchy window and click OK.

Selecting and renaming objectsYou can select and rename objects and other nodes in the Outliner. Selecting anobject in the Outliner is useful when the workspace is crowded with objects.

You can give two nodes the same name, but only if each has a different parent (as inthe following example).


1 Scroll to find the node that represents the object or component.

2 Click the node to select it. The node is highlighted in the scene to indicate it isselected.

To select a set:

Select Display > Select Set Members. The set members are selected in the Outlinerand in the workspace.



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To deselect an object:

Click an empty spot in the Maya workspace. (You can also click below the last itemin the Outliner.)

When you deselect a node, its highlighting turns off.

To rename an object:

1 Double-click the name of the object in the Outliner.

2 Enter the name in the text box.

Reordering nodesYou can automatically sort the nodes or you can reorder the position of nodes in theOutliner. For example, to make the node’s Outliner position correspond to its spatialposition in the workspace.

Be aware that reordering an object’s position in the Outliner might may affect itsbehavior or appearance in your scene. Reordering a node’s position in the Outlineraffects Maya’s evaluation order for the object. Maya evaluates objects as listed fromtop to bottom in the Outliner.

For example, Maya typically renders nodes in the order they appear in the Outliner.Changing this order changes their rendering order. However, if a node hastransparency, Maya puts the node in a delayed render queue. Maya renders objectsin the queue after all opaque objects.

To sort nodes in the Outliner:

Select Display > Sort Order and then select a sort order type.

SceneHierarchy Displays objects in the order of the scene hierarchy.

AlphabeticalWithin Type Displays objects in alphabetical order by DAG object name.

To reorder a node in the Outliner:

Use the middle mouse button to drag the node to another position.

As you drag, a horizontal line appears in the Outliner that indicates where thedragged node will be positioned. Release the mouse button at the desired position.

Example

Suppose you created a scene containing several of the solar system’s planets,including earth. As you add each planet, the Outliner adds a node representing theplanet.

Maya puts each new node in the Outliner below existing nodes. The location of theplanet nodes in the Outliner might not represent the spatial relationship of theplanets in the workspace as in this example:


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USING MAYA EDITORS | 9Limiting the information shown in editors

Here, earth sits further from mercury than mars. In the actual solar system, and inyour workspace, this is not true.

To make the Outliner reflect the positioning of the earth in the workspace, use themiddle mouse button to drag the earth above mars.

Maya positions earth below venus and above mars.

LIMITING THE INFORMATION SHOWN IN EDITORS

You can limit which information shows in the Outliner, Hypergraph, Graph Editor,Dope Sheet, and Relationship Editor. Each of these editors has a Text Filter box andShow menu (except the Dope Sheet, which has only the Show menu). With thesecontrols, you can limit the display to the following:

• items containing specified text (for example, type spot* to show items beginningwith spot)

• object types (Geometry, NURBS Objects, Polygon Objects, Subdiv Objects, Cameras,Joints, IKHandles, Characters, Sets, Lights, Materials, Textures, Renderable Objects,Shading Groups, Partitions)

• attribute types (Hidden, Driven by Anim Curve, Driven by Expression, Keyable,Rotate, Scale, Translate, Scale Rotate Translate)

For details, see the next topic, "Limiting the display" on page 259. Also, using theShow menu, you can also do the following:

• "Showing all items not currently displayed" on page 260

• "Storing your restrictions" on page 260

• "Controlling display of auxiliary nodes" on page 262

Filter on/off icon

Text Filter box



259

Limiting the displayYou can limit the amount of information shown in the Outliner, Hypergraph, GraphEditor, and Relationship Editor by selecting the object types and attribute types youwant shown. You can show items containing specified strings. You can also storeyour selections for later use. When you limit the display in the editor, the icon besidethe Text Filter box changes.

When you have a filter active, you can revert to showing all objects by clicking thefiltered display icon ( ).

Limiting the display to items containing specific textUse the Text Filter box to limit the display to all objects and attributes with namescontaining the text string you type. Type the string in the box and click Enter. Thisbox is case sensitive. For example, typing nurbs will yield different results thantyping NURBS.

Use the asterisk (*) wildcard to match any number of characters in the string. Forexample, to show all items with names starting with nurbs, type nurbs* in the textfilter box and press Enter.

Use the question mark (?) wildcard to match a single character. For example, to showitems bodyFur and bodyfur (remember, the box is case sensitive), type body?ur andpress Enter.

Limiting the display to selected objectsYou can limit the display to any combination of the following objects: Geometry,NURBS Objects, Polygon Objects, Subdiv Objects, Cameras, Joints, IKHandles,Characters, Sets, Lights, Materials, Textures, Renderable Objects, Shading Groups,and Partitions.

To limit the display to objects of a specified type:

Select Show > Objects, then select the items you want to display (turn them on). Onlythe items you select will display. If you do not want an object type to show, turn itoff.

To clear the list so that no restrictions are placed on what displays (in effect, you areremoving the object filter), select Show > Objects > Clear Below.

Limiting the display to selected attributesYou can limit the display to any combination of the following attributes: Hidden,Driven by Anim Curve, Driven by Expression, Keyable, Scale, Rotate, Translate, andScale Rotate Translate.

In the Relationship Editor you can limit the display of attributes of a specific typewhen character editing only.

In the Outliner, you can limit the display of attributes of a specific type only ifDisplay > Attributes (Channels) is turned on.

You cannot limit the attribute display in the Hypergraph.

All objects and attributes show

Filtered display (only objects and attributes of selected types or containingspecified text show)


260


To limit the display of attributes of a specified type:

Select Show > Attributes, then select the items you want to display (turn them on).Only the items you select will show. If you do not want an attribute type to show,turn it off.

To clear the list so that all attributes display (in effect, you are removing the attributefilter), select Show > Attributes > Clear Below.

Limiting the display of object or attribute types based on theselected itemsInstead of limiting the display using the Objects and Attributes menus, you can limitthe display to all objects or attributes of the same type as the selected (highlighted)objects or attributes by selecting Show > Show Selected Type(s). You must first selectobjects or attributes (in the Outliner or workspace) to make this command available.

Applying custom display restrictionsIf you saved your display restrictions (see "Storing your restrictions" on page 260), itappears on the Show > Objects menu or Show > Attributes menu, (depending on thetype of items selected). To apply it, simply select it from the appropriate menu (turnit on).

Showing all items not currently displayedYou can quickly turn the display to show all items that are not currently displayed.To do this, select Show > Invert Shown to turn it on.

Showing all items (removing restrictions)To quickly remove all restrictions so that all objects and attributes show, click thefiltered display icon ( ) or select Show > Show All.

Storing your restrictionsYou can store your display restrictions for later use. Restrictions that you store in oneeditor are available for use in the other editors.

To store your restrictions:

1 In the Outliner or workspace, select the objects and attributes that are the type youwant to show.

2 Select Show > Show Selected Type(s). The editor shows all objects and attributes thatare the same type as the selected objects.

3 Select Show > Create Entry. The Create Entry window opens.



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If you selected only objects in step #1, only the Objects section appears on the CreateEntry window. Similarly, if you selected only attributes in step #1, only theAttributes section appears.

4 In the Objects section (if there is one), turn Entry name on and type a name for theselection list in the adjacent box. This name will appear on the Show > Objects menu.

5 In the Attributes section (if there is one), turn Entry name on and type a name for theselection list in the adjacent box. This name will appear on the Show > Attributesmenu.

6 Click Save.

Deleting stored restrictionsDeleting a stored restrition removes it from the Show > Objects or Show > Attributesmenu.

To delete a stored restriction:

1 Select Show > Delete Entry. The Delete Entry window opens.

2 To delete from the Objects list, click the Objects tab, then click the entries you wantto delete.

or

To delete from the Attributes list, click the Attributes tab, then click the entries youwant to delete.

3 Click Delete.


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Controlling display of auxiliary nodesBy default, there are several auxiliary nodes, such as unitConversion, that do notshow in the Outliner and other editors. These nodes are hidden to reduce clutter. Ifyou need them to show or you want to hide additional nodes, you can use the Showmenu selections: Show Auxiliary Nodes and Auxiliary Nodes.

Your Auxiliary Node settings are saved immediately in your preferences, so theyaffect all editors. They are loaded whenever you start Maya.

To show a hidden auxiliary node:

• To see all auxiliary nodes, choose Show > Show Auxiliary Nodes.

or

• To selectively show an auxiliary node, choose Show > Auxiliary Nodes to open theAuxiliary Nodes window. From the list of auxiliary nodes, select the ones you wantto show and click Remove From List.

To hide a node:

1 Choose Show > Auxiliary Nodes to open the Auxiliary Nodes window.

2 Select a node from the Available Node Types list and click Add To Hide List(Above).

Note

Select Options > Auxiliary Nodes are Hidden in Editors to hide the nodetypes in the top list. This is the same as turning off Show > Show AuxiliaryNodes.

Select Options > All Nodes are Shown in Editors to show all node types inMaya editors.


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10 USING THE HYPERGRAPH

The Hypergraph shows a graphical relationship between components of a scene. Youcan display two kinds of graphs in the Hypergraph: the scene hierarchy ordependency graph.

The scene hierarchy shows the ordered arrangement of objects, lights, cameras, andother items that make up a scene. It’s similar to the Outliner but has more featuresand visual aids for working with the hierarchy of scene components.

Here’s an example of scene hierarchy:

A dependency graph shows the architectural connections between Maya entities thatinput and output data. For example, it shows connections between shading groupelements that create an object’s material appearance.

OPENING THE HYPERGRAPH

You can open the Hypergraph in its own window or in a workspace panel.Displaying it in a workspace panel has the advantage of letting you see the Mayauser interface and the Hypergraph without having to reposition the windows.


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USING THE HYPERGRAPH | 10Opening the Hypergraph

To open the Hypergraph in its own window:

From the menu bar or Hotbox, select Window > Hypergraph. The Hypergraphopens.


To open the Hypergraph in a workspace panel:

From a workspace panel, select Panels > Panel > Hypergraph.

When you display the Hypergraph the first time, the scene hierarchy displays. Insubsequent displays of the Hypergraph, the scene hierarchy or dependency graphappears, depending on which was displayed the previous time you closed thewindow. Note that a scene hierarchy is also referred to as a DAG (directed acyclicgraph).

If you display the scene hierarchy for a new, empty scene, you’ll see no graph.

If you display the scene hierarchy, invisible objects such as the perspective, top,front, and side cameras do not appear in the graph by default. In contrast, theOutliner shows the default cameras unless you choose not to display them.

Hypergraph menu bar

The Hypergraph menu bar has entries for working with the scene hierarchy ordependency graph.

Hypergraph tool bar

The tool bar has icons for commonly used Hypergraph menu bar selections. To seethe selection that an icon represents, move the mouse pointer over the icon. If po-uphelp is turned on (Help > Popup Help), the name of the selection appears in a yellowpop-up. Otherwise, look in the help line at the bottom of the Maya window.

Note

Unless instructions in this chapter state otherwise, make all menu choicesfrom the Hypergraph menu bar.

Menu bar

Tool bar

USING THE HYPERGRAPH | 10Understanding scene hierarchy terminology


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UNDERSTANDING SCENE HIERARCHY TERMINOLOGY

A common technique in modeling, rendering, and animation is to work with objectsin a hierarchical relationship. To work with a hierarchy you must understand theterminology for describing the relationship of objects.

The following figure illustrates a scene hierachy.

Parent An object or other item that controls attributes of one or more children. A parent canalso be the child of another parent.

In the figure, InnerSolarSystem is a parent of Sun. Sun is a parent of Mercury, Venus,Earth, and Mars. Earth is a parent of Moon.

Child An object having attributes controlled by its parent. A child can be the parent ofother children. A child in the graph is connected to its parent by an indented rightangle line.

Sun is a child of InnerSolarSystem. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are children ofSun. Moon is a child of Earth.

Node A parent, child, or independent item. This refers generally to any box in the graph.

InnerSolarSystem, Sun, Moon, and all other boxes in the graph are nodes.

Subnode Any node below another node in the hierarchy.

The subnodes of InnerSolarSystem are Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, and Mars.The subnodes of Sun are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, and Mars. The subnode ofEarth is Moon. Moon and Mars have no subnodes.

Branch All nodes along a path from a parent to child. A branch from Sun to Moon includesSun, Earth, and Moon.

Hierarchy The arrangement of all connected nodes that make up a scene or object.

The scene hierarchy is made of all nodes in the figure. The Earth hierarchy consistsof Earth and Moon.


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Transform node A node that contains an object’s transformation attributes—values for its translation,rotation, scale, and so on. It also holds information on parent-child relationships ithas with other nodes.

InnerSolarSystem, Sun, Moon, and all other boxes shown in the example aretransform nodes.

Shape node A shape node holds an object’s geometry attributes or attributes other than theobject’s transform node attributes. Shape nodes do not appear in the scene hierarchyby default. To display shape nodes, see "Displaying special nodes and connections"on page 268.

The scene hierarchy and the dependency graph display animated nodes as slantedboxes. If you animate a node with an expression, it displays a regular rectanglerather than a slanted box. All other animation techniques display a slanted box.Specifically, a slanted box indicates that the node has a param curve connected to it.

USING THE SCENE HIERARCHY

You can use the scene hierarchy to:

• display special nodes and connections

You can display shape, invisible, and underworld nodes. You can also showexpression, constraint, and deformer connections that link nodes. See "Displayingspecial nodes and connections" on page 268.

• make an object the child of a parent object (known as parenting)

A child adopts attribute changes made to the parent. See "Parenting objects" on page270.

• reorder the position of nodes (see "Rearranging scene hierarchy nodes" on page 272)

• create a free-form graph of the hierarchy that suits your visual preference (see"Creating a free-form hierarchy" on page 273)

• select, rename, and hide objects, and edit attributes of an object (see "Editing objects"on page 286)

• examine the structure of the scene

The Outliner lists the components of a scene as an indented list. The Hypergraphshows the relationship of the objects of the scene graphically. See "Altering the viewof a graph" on page 289 for details on navigating the view of the graph.

Expanding scene hierarchy nodesAs you examine a scene hierarchy, you can expand or collapse the display of nodes.Collapsing nodes is helpful for lessening clutter in a hierarchy. You expand a node tosee nodes below it.

For a selected node, you can display:

• subnodes one level below the node

• all subnodes below a node

When you know where a node is in the workspace but you’re not sure of its graphposition, you can select the node in the workspace and expand all nodes necessary todisplay and highlight it.



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A selected node is yellow in the scene hierarchy.

To expand a node:

1 Select the node.

If the node is not visible in the scene hierarchy, select it in the workspace or Outliner.

2 Select:

Edit > Expand to expand a node to one level below.

Edit > Expand All to expand all subnodes below a node.

Edit > Show Selected to display and expand a node not visible in the graph.

To collapse a node:

1 Select the node.

2 Select Edit > Collapse.

Note

A node name followed by “...” is abbreviated in the graph. See "Dollyingthe view" on page 289 to learn how to view the full name. For other graphviewing techniques, see "Altering the view of a graph" on page 289.

Tips

• To expand or collapse a node, double-click it.

• To quickly select Hypergraph menus, click the rightmouse button in an empty part of the Hypergraphwindow.

• To display context-sensitive Hypergraph menus, movethe mouse over a node and click the right mousebutton. These menus are also available from the mainHypergraph menus, but they apply only to theselected node.

• For details on navigating the view of the graph, see"Altering the view of a graph" on page 289.

Expanded node

A red arrow appearsbelow a node if it’scollapsed.


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Displaying special nodes and connectionsYou can display shape, invisible, and underworld nodes in the scene hierarchy. Youcan also display expression, constraint, and deformer connections that link differentnodes.

Shape, invisible, and underworld nodesBy default, the scene hierarchy does not display shape nodes, invisible nodes, orunderworld nodes. It displays only transform nodes—nodes that hold attributes andother information on an object’s transformation and parent-child relationships.

A shape node holds an object’s geometry attributes or attributes other than the object’stransform node attributes. A shape node is a child of a transform node. A transformnode has only one shape node.

An invisible node is any object you have hidden using Display > Hide from Maya’smenu bar. The default cameras top, front, side, and persp are also invisible nodes.

An underworld node is a pair of nodes below a shape node. When you create a curveon a NURBS surface, Maya generates an underworld transform node and shapenode below the shape node of the surface. The CV positions of underworld nodeshave UV coordinates on the surface rather than coordinates in world or local space.

To display invisible nodes, object shape nodes, or underworld nodes:

Turn on these options:

• Options > Display > Shape Nodes

• Options > Display > Invisible Nodes

• Options > Display > Underworld Nodes

Invisible nodes display with the text grayed.

Underworld nodes appear only if you also display shape nodes in the graph.

A dotted line in the scene hierarchy indicates a connection to an underworld node.Connections to instanced objects are also indicated by dotted lines.

Example

Suppose you select Create > NURBS Primitives > Sphere to create a sphere. Mayacreates a transform node and a shape node.

The sphere’s shape node holds the mathematical description of the sphere’s shape.The sphere’s transform node holds the sphere’s position, scaling, rotation, and so on.The shape node is the child of the transform node.

If you select Options > Display > Shape Nodes in the Hypergraph, the scenehierarchy shows these nodes for the sphere:

Note

Hypergraph option settings are saved with a scene file. The options are notsaved for Maya globally.



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Maya gives the nodes the default names shown in the preceding figure. Thetransform node is nurbsSphere1, the shape node is nurbsSphereShape1. If yourename the transform node, for example, to Bubble, Maya renames the shape node toBubbleShape.

If you rename the shape node, Maya does not rename the transform node. Mayadoesn’t transmit a child’s attribute changes up to its parent.

Example

Suppose you select Create > NURBS Primitives > Sphere to create a sphere. Mayacreates a transform node and a sphere node. Suppose you then select Modify > MakeLive, then use the Create > CV Curve Tool to draw a curve on the surface of thesphere.

If you turn on the display of shape nodes and underworld nodes, the scene hierarchyappears as follows:

Maya gives the nodes the default names shown. The transform node isnurbsSphere1, the shape node is nurbsSphereShape1. The curve1 and curveShape1nodes are underworld nodes for the curve created on the sphere’s surface.

When a curve-on-surface is hard to select in the workspace because of crowding orcomplex geometry, you can select it easily in the scene hierarchy with underworldnodes displayed.

Expression, constraint, and deformer connectionsYou can display color-coded lines in the scene hierarchy that illustrate nodesconnected by an expression, constraint, or deformer.

To display nodes connected by an expression, constraint, or deformer:

Turn on any or all of these options:

• Options > Display > Expression Connections

• Options > Display > Constraint Connections

• Options > Display > Deformer Connections

To hide these connections, turn off the appropriate options.


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Example

Suppose you create a NURBS sphere named Ball and a NURBS cone named Cone.You write an expression to assign the value of Ball’s translateY attribute to Cone’stranslateY attribute.

The expression links the two values. When you move Ball up or down in theworkspace (in a Y-axis direction), Cone moves up or down the same amount.

If you select Options > Display > Expression Connections, the scene hierarchydisplays this:

Parenting objectsYou can make an object the child of a parent object. The child adopts some or allattribute changes made to the parent.

For example, suppose you animate a planet to orbit the center of the workspace. Ifyou make a moon the child of the planet, it follows the motion of the planet.

Though the moon is the child of the planet, you can also give the moon motion that’sindependent of the planet. For example, you can make it orbit the planet. If you laterchange the orbiting motion of the planet, the moon continues to follow the planet’smotion, but stills retains its original orbiting motion.

To control multiple objects with one node, you can also create an empty group andmake several objects its children. By grouping objects under one node, you canmove, shade, apply texture, and do many other actions to all the objects by workingwith the group node.

Example

Tip

You can change the color-coding of the connection lines and otherimportant entities by selecting Window > Settings/Preferences > Colorsfrom Maya’s main menu bar and expanding Hypergraph/Hypershade.

This line means attributes in thetwo nodes are connected, forinstance, by an expression.

1. Create original objects.

2. Create empty node and name it Tires.

4. Move, rotate, shade Tires.

3. Group objects under Tires.

FrontTire

Tires

BackTire

BackTire

Tires

FrontTire



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To parent an object:

In the scene hierarchy, use the middle mouse button to drag the child node on theparent node.

If the parent node is not visible in the window, drag the child toward it in thedirection of the parent. The graph view scrolls as you drag into the Hypergraph’swindow border.

To parent several objects to a new node:

1 From the Maya main menu bar, select Create > Empty Group. A new node appearsin the scene hierarchy named null1. This node is an invisible, empty object.

2 Use the middle mouse button to drag an object node onto the null1 node. The objectbecomes a child of the null1 node.

3 Repeat this step for other objects to be children of the group.

4 Rename the null1 node to something more meaningful.

For example, you might rename a group containing four flower petals as flower. See"Renaming an object" on page 287.

The scene hierarchy displays the objects parented to the group node:

If you modify the group node attributes, its corresponding member’s attributes alsoare modified. For example, if you scale down a flower group node, the four petalsscale down also.

To break the relationship between parent and child:

With the middle mouse button, drag the child node to an empty spot in theworkspace.

Use the middle mouse buttonto drag Moon onto Planet.

Moon is now achild of Planet.


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Rearranging scene hierarchy nodesYou can rearrange the position of nodes in a scene hierarchy to suit your preferencesas follows:

• Move a node’s relative position.

• Create a free-form scene hierarchy.

• Display the graph vertically or horizontally. See "Displaying a graph vertically orhorizontally" on page 295.

Note that Maya updates the scene hierarchy as you modify a scene.

Changing a node’s relative positionYou can move a node’s relative position vertically or horizontally in a scenehierarchy. You might want to do this, for example, to make the node’s graphposition correspond to its spatial position in the workspace.

Be aware that rearranging an object’s position in the Hypergraph might alter itsbehavior or appearance in your scene. Reordering a node’s position in the graphaffects Maya’s evaluation order for the object. The evaluation order occurs from leftto right and top to bottom for a scene hierarchy displayed in automatic layout.

For example, Maya typically renders nodes in the order they appear in the scenehierarchy. Changing this order changes their rendering order. If a node hastransparency, however, Maya puts the node in a delayed render queue. Mayarenders this queue after all opaque objects.

To see the evaluation order for a graph currently in free-form layout, selectOptions > Layout > Automatic Layout. To return to the free-form layout, selectOptions > Layout > Freeform Layout.

To move a node in the graph:

Use Ctrl-middle mouse button to drag the node on top of another node.

In a horizontal graph, the dragged node replaces the other node’s position. The othernode’s position gets pushed to the right.

In a vertical graph, the dragged node replaces the other node’s position. The othernode’s position gets pushed downward.

Example

Suppose you created a scene containing several of the solar system’s planets,including earth. As you add each planet, the scene hierarchy puts a noderepresenting the planet in the graph.

Maya puts each new node in the graph to the right of existing nodes. The location ofthe planet nodes in the graph might not represent the spatial relationship of theplanets in the workspace, as in this example:

Here, Earth sits further from mercury than mars. In the actual solar system and inyour workspace, this is not true.

To make the graph reflect the positioning of the earth in the workspace, use Ctrl-middle mouse button to drag the Earth on top of Mars.



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Maya positions the node to the right of Venus and to the left of Mars. Thereafter,you’ll know where to look for Earth in the scene hierarchy.

Creating a free-form hierarchyMaya lets you select a free-form layout for the scene hierarchy to suit your nodeposition preferences. By doing so, you can make the graph’s appearance resemblethe appearance of characters or other complex objects in your scene. This helps youfind and select components from the hierarchy more quickly.

For example, suppose you modeled a human hand. You can customize the graph sothe location of its nodes resembles the arrangement of the joints that represent thefingers and palm:

To make a free-form graph:

1 Select Options > Layout > Freeform Layout.

2 Drag nodes to the desired positions in the graph.

If the spot where you want to put a node is not visible in the window, drag the nodepast the edge of the window. The window scrolls in the direction you drag.

To drag two or more nodes to another position, click the first node, Shift-click thesecond node and any other nodes, then drag to the desired position.

To drag a parent but not its children, Ctrl-Shift-click the node and drag to thedesired position.

Important

Move as few nodes as necessary. When you drag a node to a new positionin the graph, you increase the scene’s file size and the Maya processingtime needed to work with the scene.

When you move a parent node, Maya automatically moves its childrenwith it. Automatically moved children do not increase the file size andprocessing time.


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To return to the automatically generated layout:

Select Options > Layout > Automatic Layout.

You can return to your previous free-form graph arrangement by selectingOptions > Layout > Freeform Layout.

To reset the free-form graph:

If you create a free-form graph and you decide you no longer like its appearance,you can reset the graph to the automatic layout.

1 Select Edit > Reset Freeform Layout.

2 Click Yes when asked to confirm your selection.

Displaying a background image with a scene hierarchyYou can display a single image of your choice as the background for a scenehierarchy. This is helpful if you want to create a free-form hierarchy that lets youidentify and select a character’s joints and nodes more easily.

For example, suppose you modeled a human character. Suppose further yourendered an image of the character or used a snapshot utility to capture an image ofthe character’s skeleton in the workspace.

You can display the image in the background of a free-form hierarchy, then positionnodes and joints to match the character skeleton. This helps you identify scenehierarchy components more quickly.



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The character skeleton exists behind the scene hierarchy. With this arrangement, youcan quickly find nodes, for example, that represents the character’s feet and ankles.

To import the background image:

1 Switch to freeform layout, if you are not already in it (Options > Layout > FreeformLayout).

Note that you can import an image for the free-form layout only. Having abackground image for the automatic layout has no practical purpose. The nodepositions for the automatic layout are fixed.

2 Select View > Load Background Image. A file browser appears.

3 Select and load the image. The image appears in the scene hierarchy.

4 Dolly or track to bring the image into view.

5 Move nodes to positions on top of the image.


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USING THE HYPERGRAPH | 10Understanding the dependency graph

Whenever you display the scene hierarchy in the Hypergraph (in freeform layout),the image appears behind the nodes.

To turn the display of the background image off or on:

Turn on or off Options > Display > Background Image (in free-form).

You can display the image in the background of a free-form hierarchy.

UNDERSTANDING THE DEPENDENCY GRAPH

The dependency graph displays connections between nodes in Maya that input andoutput data. A dependency graph node can represent an object’s geometry, forexample, a NURBS sphere. A node can also represent a Maya operation such as adeformer. Inputs and outputs are the connections between nodes, includingdirection of influence.

A dependency graph has no parent-child relationships, only data flow. You candisplay a dependency graph, for example, to see the data flow between nodes thatmake up an object’s construction history or shading.

All nodes in a scene hierarchy also can be displayed in a dependency graph.However, not all nodes in a dependency can be displayed in a scene graph.

For example, a NURBS sphere’s transform and shape nodes appear in a scene graphand therefore can be displayed in a dependency graph. A shading group node ordeformer operation node that appears in a dependency graph never appears in ascene hierarchy.

A dependency graph node takes input data from one or more other nodes and usesthe input to create output data. When you create models, deform objects, animate,process audio, and so on, dependency graph nodes work with the data involved.

Although we refer to a dependency graph as a singular graph, be aware you candisplay two or more independent graphs of connected nodes in the same window.We refer to each independent graph also as a dependency graph. Maya updates thedependency graph as you modify a scene.

USING A DEPENDENCY GRAPH

The dependency graph is a tool for programmers who extend Maya capabilities. Ifyou’re an advanced Maya user, you’ll also find it useful to:

• examine render node connections (see "Displaying render node connections" onpage 277)

• examine other node connections (see "Displaying upstream and downstreamconnections" on page 278)

• disconnect rendering nodes and other nodes (see "Disconnecting nodes in adependency graph" on page 281)

• connect rendering nodes and other nodes (see "Connecting nodes in a dependencygraph" on page 282)

Avoid disconnecting and connecting nodes unless you have an understanding ofMaya’s architecture. You’ll spare yourself frustration tracking down resultingproblems.

USING THE HYPERGRAPH | 10Using a dependency graph


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See "Editing objects" on page 286 and "Altering the view of a graph" on page 289 foradditional details on working with a dependency graph.

Displaying render node connectionsYou can show connections to shading groups, materials, textures, and lights. SeeUsing Maya: Rendering for details.

To display render node connections:

Select one of these options:

• Rendering > Show Shading Groups

• Rendering > Show Materials

• Rendering > Show Textures

• Rendering > Show Lights

• Rendering > Show Images

Example

Suppose you create a NURBS sphere, then use the Hypershade to create and assign aPhong shading group to it. Next you use the Hypershade to create a 2D checkertexture and assign it to the Phong node.

The Hypershade displays the following contents:

The following dependency graph appears when you select Rendering > ShowShading Groups in the Hypergraph.

Tip

As a new user of the Hypergraph, you might be unsure whether you’relooking at the scene hierarchy or a dependency graph. If you see arrowsbetween nodes, you’re looking at a dependency graph. If Scene Hierarchyunder the Graph menu is grayed, you’re looking at the scene hierarchy.

Connection line


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The connection lines between nodes show connection direction. The connection lineoriginates at a node that outputs data, and the line points to a node receiving thedata as input.

The preceding figure shows that the flow of output goes from the phong1SG shadinggroup to the renderPartition.

Although you can see most of the same nodes in the Hypershade, the dependencygraph shows the nodes in a flow diagram. This makes it easy to see the connectionsbetween the nodes that make up a shading group.

If you move your mouse pointer over a connection line, small white boxes appearnext to the input node and output node. The white box next to an input node showsthe node’s name and attribute that receives the input.

The white box next to an output node shows the node’s name and attribute thatprovides the output. Each node name and attribute is separated by a period, forexample, checker1.outColor and phong1.color. In the preceding figure, the outColorattribute of checker1 is output to the color attribute of phong1.

In many cases, you must be familiar with Maya internal operation details tounderstand the node and attribute names you see in the white boxes.

Displaying upstream and downstream connectionsYou can show upstream and downstream connections to a selected node. Anupstream connection is a node that provides input to the selected node. Adownstream connection is a node that receives input from the selected node.

To see connections to most objects, you must select the shape node of the objectrather than the transform node.

To select a node and display its connections:

1 Select the node.

To select a shape node from the scene hierarchy, make sureOptions > Display > Shape Nodes is turned on.

Tip

You can select an object’s shape node in the scene hierarchy withoutshowing shape nodes. Select the object’s transform node, put the mousepointer in the Maya or Hypergraph window, then press your keyboard’sdown arrow key. The shape node is displayed in the Attribute Editor.

Selecting a shape node with this technique is useful for scenes havingmany nodes, where displaying all shape nodes in the scene hierarchy takesup a lot of panel space.

Press the up arrow key to return to the transform node.

phong1.colorchecker1.outColor

Mouse pointer



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2 Select one of the following:

• Graph > Up and Downstream Connections

• Graph > Upstream Connections

• Graph > Downstream Connections

When you display upstream connections for a node, you see the chain of nodes thatprovide input to each other all the way to the selected node.

When you display downstream connections for a node, you see the chain of nodesthat output to each other, all the way through to the end receiving node.

Example

Suppose you create a wine glass surface by revolving a NURBS curve. The followingdependency graph appears when you select the revolved surface’s shape node andselect Graph > Up and Downstream Connections:

Note that the graph is shown with a vertical orientation to make the illustration fiton this page. By default, a dependency graph has a horizontal orientation. See"Displaying a graph vertically or horizontally" on page 295.

The connection lines between nodes show connection direction. The connection lineoriginates at a node that outputs data, and the line points to a node receiving thedata as input. For information on the connection line colors, see "Connection linecolors" on page 280.

The example graph shows that a curve provides input to the revolve operation node.The revolve operation generates a revolved shape—the wine glass. The revolvedshape is connected to initialShadingGroup, which sets the default color of allgeometric shapes created in Maya.

If you move your mouse pointer over a connection line, small white boxes appearnext to the input node and output node. The white box next to an input node showsthe node’s name and attribute that receives the input.

The white box next to an output node shows the node’s name and attribute thatprovides the output. Each node name and attribute is separated by a period.

In many cases, you must be familiar with Maya internal operation details tounderstand the node and attribute names you see in the white boxes.


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Note that the dependency graph and scene hierarchy display animated nodes asslanted boxes. If you animate a node with an expression, it displays a regularrectangle rather than a slanted box. All other animation techniques display a slantedbox. Specifically, a slanted box indicates Ball has a param curve connected to it.

Example

Suppose you keyframe the translateX attribute of a NURBS sphere named Ball. Ifyou select Ball’s transform node and display all upstream and downstreamconnections, this graph appears:

The slanted box indicates Ball’s transform node has been animated. The graphdoesn’t indicate which type of animation technique controls the attribute.

Connection line colorsThe connection lines are color-coded to indicate the type of attribute that isconnecting the nodes. In this case, attribute types are single, double, triple, data, andarray. See the following table for an explanation.

These colors are the default. You can change them in the Colors window (Window >Settings/Preferences > Colors).

Also note that a dotted line in the scene hierarchy indicates a connection to anunderworld node or an instanced object.

Dragging nodes into a dependency graphYou can drag one or more nodes from the Outliner or Hypershade into thedependency graph to display the dependency graph of the node or nodes. This isideal for keeping irrelevant nodes out of view when you’re creating and assigningrendering nodes.

Any dependency graphs previously in the display remain there.

1 To clear out all graphs from the display, select Edit > Clear View.

Default Color Attribute Type Example Attributes

Blue Single transform.translateX,makeNurbsSphere.radius

Cyan Double file.repeatUV,cameraShape.cameraAperature

Green Triple transform.translate, lambert.color

Magenta Data nurbsSurface.create,makeNurbsSphere.outputSurface

Red Array particleShape.position,particleShape.velocity



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2 Click Yes to confirm.

Note that you can also drag a node into the dependency graph from any part ofMaya that lets you drag icons.

To drag the node into the dependency graph:

Use the middle mouse button to drag the node or nodes into the Hypergraph panel.

Disconnecting nodes in a dependency graphYou can use the dependency graph to disconnect nodes.

To disconnect nodes:

1 Click the connection line representing the connection in the dependency graph. Theconnection line turns yellow to indicate it’s selected.

2 Press your keyboard’s Backspace key. The connection line disappears, indicating youdisconnected the connection.

To update the graph’s layout to display the disconnected nodes more appropriately,select Graph > Layout.

Example

Suppose you create a NURBS sphere named Ball. You then use the Hypershade tocreate a Phong E material with red color and assign the resulting phongE1SGshading group node to Ball.

The Hypershade displays the following contents.

The following dependency graph appears when you select Rendering > ShowShading Groups, then select the phongE1SG node and select Graph > Up andDownstream Connections.

The graph shows that an attribute of the BallShape node (that represents Ball’sgeometry) is input to the phongE1SG shading group node. Ball gets its color fromthe phongE1SG node.

To stop the phongE1SG node from setting Ball’s color, do the following:

1 Click the connection line leading from BallShape to phongE1SG. The connection lineturns yellow to indicate it’s selected.

2 Press the Backspace key on your keyboard.


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The connection line disappears, indicating you disconnected the nodes. ThephongE1SG no longer controls Ball’s color.

Ball keeps its previous shading group attribute values. In other words, it stays redand doesn’t become the default gray. If you alter attributes of phongE1SG, though,the changes are not passed to Ball.

You can reconnect BallShape to another shading group node to make it control Ball’sshading. For example, you can use the middle mouse button to drag BallShape fromthe Outliner onto initialShadingGroup.

Ball’s color becomes the default gray color set in the initialShadingGroup node. Notethat each geometric object you create is connected to the initialShadingGroup node,by default, until you connect it to another shading group.

Connecting nodes in a dependency graphThe dependency graph offers convenient ways to connect nodes while you examinethe graph. In the dependency graph, you can:

• launch the Connection Editor

• launch a window that displays input or output attributes you can connect to

• connect a node’s default output attribute to a node’s default input attribute

To launch the Connection Editor:

Use Shift-middle mouse button to drag from an output node to an input node.

The Connection Editor opens. The Outputs pane of the Connection Editor displaysthe dragged node and its attributes. The Inputs pane displays the attributes of thedestination node. See Using Maya: Rendering for details on the Connection Editor.

To create a default connection:

Use the middle mouse button to drag the output node onto the input node.

Maya connects the default output attribute from the output node to the default inputattribute of the input node. Usually, the default input and output attributes are theattributes you would most likely want to connect.

If the attributes aren’t compatible, no connection occurs and the Connection Editorappears instead.

Example

Suppose you create a NURBS sphere and cone named Ball and Cone. You use theHypershade to create a Phong E material with red color, and a Blinn material withblue color. You assign the resulting phongE1SG shading group node to Ball, and theblinn1SG shading group to the Cone.

The Hypershade displays the following contents:



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The following dependency graph appears when you select Rendering > ShowShading Groups, select the phongE1SG and blinn1SG shading groups and selectGraph > Up and Downstream Connections.

The graph shows ConeShape connected to the blinn1SG shading group, andBallShape connected to the phongE1SG shading group.

You can swap the colors of Ball and Cone by reversing their connections to theshading groups.

To reverse connections:

1 Use the middle mouse button to drag ConeShape onto phongE1SG. This reconnectsthe default output attribute of the ConeShape node to the default input attribute ofthe phongE1SG node. Cone becomes red.

2 Use the middle mouse button to drag BallShape onto blinn1SG. This reconnects thedefault output attribute of the ConeShape node to the default input attribute of thephongE1SG node. Ball becomes blue.

Example

Suppose you create a NURBS sphere named Ball. You then use the Hypershade tocreate a Phong E material with blue color and assign the corresponding phongE1SGshading group node to Ball to color it blue.

You then create a black and white 2D checker texture, but you haven’t assigned it toan object.

Tip

Select Rendering > Create Render Node to create a new material, texture,or light. You can then connect to the new node using the dependencygraph.


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The Hypershade displays the following contents.

To replace Ball’s blue color with the checker texture, you must use the middle mousebutton to drag the texture node onto the shading group.

If you select Rendering > Show Shading Groups, you’ll see the shading groups in thescene, but not the textures.

If you select Rendering > Show Textures, you’ll see the textures created in the scene,but not the shading groups.

To drag the checker1 texture onto the phongE1SG shading group, you need todisplay them in the graph at the same time. Do the following steps:

1 While the checker1 node is displayed in the dependency graph, use the middlemouse button to drag the phongE1SG shading group node from the Hypershadeinto the Hypergraph window.

2 Select the checker1 and phongE1SG nodes and select Graph > Upstream andDownstream Connections.

The dependency graph for the phongE1SG node appears as follows.

3 Use the middle mouse button to drag the checker1 node onto the phongE1SG orPhongE1 node. Maya makes a connection from checker1 to phongE1 and draws aconnection line representing the connection:



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Ball shows a black and white checkerboard texture, rather than blue color. Turn onShading > Smooth Shade All and Shading > Hardware Texturing to display shadingand textures of objects in your workspace.

4 To redraw the graph with better organization of connection lines, selectGraph > Layout.

5 Dolly and track to bring the reorganized graph into view:

6 Move the mouse pointer over the connection line between checker1 and phongE1.

White boxes appear next to the nodes. They show that the default output outColorattribute of checker1 connects to the default input color attribute of phongE1.

Because of this connection, the black and white checker1 texture provides thematerial color for the phongE1 node and therefore the phongE1SG shading group.An object connected to the phongE1SG shading group receives the black and whitechecker1 texture.

To launch the display of input or output attributes:

1 Drag a connection line to a node.

If you drag the side of the line closer to the original output node, you display outputattributes of the destination node. If you drag the side of the line closer to theoriginal input node, you display input attributes of the destination node.

After you drag a connection line to a node, a pop-up menu displays listing either ofthe appropriate attributes you can connect to, either input or output. The part of theconnection line you drag determines whether you display the node’s input or outputattributes.

2 Click the attribute you want to connect to.


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Updating the layout of a dependency graphWhen you add or connect nodes in a scene, the dependency graph might place thenodes in a position that isn’t easy to read. If you don’t like the positioning of theadded node, you can update the graph’s layout to a default reorganized layout.

To update the dependency graph’s layout:

1 Select Graph > Layout. A window opens and asks you to confirm your choice.

2 Click Yes.

To return to the scene hierarchy from the dependency graph:

Select Graph > Scene Hierarchy.

Clearing the contents of a dependency graphYou can clear the display of the dependency graph from the Hypergraph window.This is helpful when you’re looking at connections for one or more nodes, but wantto look at unrelated nodes without the clutter of the existing nodes.

To clear the contents of the dependency graph:

1 Select Edit > Clear View. A window requesting confirmation appears.

2 Click Yes.

Returning to the scene hierarchyWhile examining a dependency graph, you can return to the view of the scenehierarchy.

To return to the view of the scene hierarchy:

Select Graph > Scene Hierarchy.

EDITING OBJECTS

There are several ways to edit objects as you’re examining the scene hierarchy ordependency graph. You can:

• select objects

• add and select an IK handle

• rename objects

• hide objects

• edit a selected node’s attributes

• add a render node

Selecting objectsThe scene hierarchy and dependency graph offer a convenient way to select objectsor other items in a scene. This is useful when items in the workspace are crowdedand overlapping.



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1 Track and dolly the view to find the node that represents the object or component.

For example, if your scene has an object named Ball, bring the node representing Ballinto view in the scene hierarchy.

2 Click the node to select it. The node changes to yellow.

To deselect an object:

Click an empty spot in the window. When you deselect a node, it becomes grayagain.

Adding and selecting an IK handleIn a scene having an IK character with a complex, crowded skeleton, you can use thescene hierarchy to easily add an IK handle to a joint chain. This lets you select thehandle easily.

To add an IK handle:

1 In the Animation menu set, select Skeleton > IK Handle Tool.

2 In the scene hierarchy, select the top node of the joint chain.

3 Shift-select the bottom node of the joint chain. Maya creates an end effector and IKhandle for the joint chain.

To select an IK handle:

Click the IK handle icon to the right of the end effector node. The IK handle nodeand icon turn yellow to indicate you selected it.

If you make the IK handle node the child of another node, its location might be hardto find in the graph. The IK handle icon to the right of the end effector at the bottomof the joint chain makes it easy to find.

Renaming an objectYou can rename an object or other item in the scene hierarchy or dependency graph.You can give two nodes the same name, but only if each has a different parent.

Click a node toselect the objectit represents.

IK handle icon


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To rename an object:

1 Right-click on the node representing the object and select Rename from the pop-upmenu. A small text box appears in the node:

2 Enter the new name.

Hiding an object in the workspaceYou can use the scene hierarchy or dependency graph to make an object or otheritem invisible in the workspace.

To hide an object:

Right-click the node representing the object and select Hide from the pop-up menu.The object disappears from the workspace and the text on the node becomes grayedin the scene hierarchy.

To display a hidden object:

1 Select Options > Display > Invisible Nodes. The text on a node representing a hiddenobject is grayed to indicate it’s invisible in the workspace.

2 Right-click on the node representing the object and select Show from the pop-upmenu. The object reappears in the workspace.

Editing an object’s attributesAfter you select a node in the scene hierarchy or dependency graph, you can edit itsattributes:

FrontTire BackTire

This is allowed.

This is not allowed.

RoadBike

FrontTire BackTire

MountainBike

Tire Tire

Bike

Invisible node

USING THE HYPERGRAPH | 10Altering the view of a graph


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To edit a node’s attributes:

1 Select the node in the graph.

2 Select Edit > Attributes. The attributes for the selected node load into the AttributeEditor.

Creating a render nodeYou can launch the Create Render Node window to create a new material, texture,and light. This is convenient when you’re examining the dependency graph for arendering node.

The Create Render Node window is the same window that appears when you selectCreate > Create Render Node from the Hypershade.

To create a render node:

Select Rendering > Create Render Node. The Create Render Node window opens.For details, see Using Maya: Rendering.

ALTERING THE VIEW OF A GRAPH

A scene hierarchy or dependency graph covers a lot of screen space for complexscenes. For example, you might create a detailed kinematic character that results inthousands of nodes.

The following pages describe general navigation techniques for examining a graph.You can use the techniques with a scene hierarchy or dependency graph, unlessotherwise noted.

Tracking the viewYou can move the view of the graph up, down, or sideways.

To track the view:

In the graph view, use Alt-middle mouse button to drag in the desired direction.

Dollying the viewYou can enlarge or shrink the view of the graph.

To dolly the view:

In the graph view, hold down the Alt key and drag the left and middle mousebuttons to the left to shrink the view; drag to the right to enlarge the view.


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Dollying a regionYou can dolly the view of a selected region by dragging a selection box around it.

To dolly a region:

Ctrl-Alt-drag a selection box from left to right around the region.

The region in the selection box expands to the center of the Hypergraph window.

To dolly away from a selection:

Ctrl-Alt-drag a selection box from right to left around the region.

Note

If you dolly away from a graph, the text in node boxes becomesabbreviated. An ellipses (...) appears to the right of the abbreviation.

To read the text, move the mouse pointer over the box. The node’s nameappears in a pop-up box. The type of node appears in parentheses next tothe node name.

For example, if you see Ball (transform) in a box, it means the boxrepresents the node named Ball, which is a transform node.

Drag fromleft to right



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Fitting an entire graph in the windowYou can fit an entire graph in the Hypergraph window. This is helpful if you want tosee the general organization of nodes.

To fit the entire scene graph in the window:

Select View > Frame All.

In a large graph, the node names will be too small to read. You’ll need to dolly andtrack this view to read the names.

Centering selected nodes in the windowYou can center and expand the view of selected nodes in the Hypergraph window.You might want to do this, for example, when you’re looking at a distant,unreadable view of the graph, and you want to read the name of the currentlyselected object.

To center selected nodes in the window:

1 Click the node or nodes in the graph. You can also select a node in the Mayaworkspace or from the Outliner.

2 Select View > Frame Selection.

Here’s an example.

Selected node


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Centering a hierarchy in the windowYou can center a selected node’s hierarchy in the Hypergraph window. This is usefulwhen you want to focus on a group of related nodes above and below the selectednode. This option works only in the scene hierarchy, not in the dependency graph.

To center a hierarchy in the window:

1 Click the node in the graph. You can also select a node in the Maya workspace orfrom the Outliner.

2 Select View > Frame Hierarchy.

Centering a hierarchy branch in the windowYou can center the branch descending from a node in the Hypergraph window. Thisis useful when you want to focus on the related nodes below a selected node. Thisoption works only in the scene hierarchy, not in the dependency graph.

To center a branch in the window:

1 Click the node in the graph. You can also select a node in the Maya workspace orfrom the Outliner.

2 Select View > Frame Branch.

Adjusting view transition speedWhen you change the panel view of a graph, for example, by selectingView > Previous View, Maya dollies from one view to another instantaneously, bydefault. You can slow Maya’s transition speed between views to make the viewchange action easier to see.

To adjust the transition speed between views:

1 Turn on Options > Transitions > Animate Transitions.

2 Select Options > Transitions > and select one of these speeds:

• 5 Frames

• 10 Frames

• 15 Frames

• 20 Frames

20 Frames dollies slowest, 5 Frames dollies fastest.

To return to the default transition speed between views:

Turn off Options > Transitions > Animate Transitions.

Setting graph update optionsWhenever you add or delete an object, rendering node, or other item in the scene,the Hypergraph updates the scene hierarchy and dependency graph, by default.

When you select an object in the scene hierarchy or dependency graph, the object isalso selected in the workspace, Outliner, and elsewhere in Maya. Also, when youselect an object in the workspace, Outliner, and elsewhere in Maya, the objectbecomes selected in the scene hierarchy or dependency graph.



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These updates slow Maya operation when you work with a complex scene or whenyou’re examining nodes or dragging nodes to new positions in a free-form hierarchy.You can turn off updating to improve operation speed.

To turn off graph updates for created nodes:

Turn off Options > Update > On Nodes Creation.

If you turn this option on later, the graph displays all previously added and deletednodes.

To turn off Hypergraph selection updates:

Turn off Options > Update > On Selection.

Undoing a view of a scene hierarchyAs you track, dolly, and make other changes to the view of a scene hierarchy, youmay want to return to a previous view. Maya keeps the history of your view changesand lets you return to one or more previous views.

After you display a previous view, you can move forward again to other view.

To change to a previous view:

Select View > Previous View.

To see the view before this one, select View > Previous View again.

To see the view ahead:

Select View > Next View.

This works only after you use View > Previous View. To see another view ahead,select View > Next View again.

Using bookmarks for graph viewsYou can bookmark the view of a graph to return to it later. For instance, suppose youdolly the view to see a group of nodes, then bookmark the view. If you dolly to adifferent view of the scene, you can select the bookmarked view to return to it.

Note that the layout of the nodes in a previously bookmarked view changes whenyou modify a scene as follows:

• add or delete objects.

• reposition nodes in a free-form hierarchy

• expand or collapse nodes

• display invisible, shape, or underworld nodes

If a node was selected and entirely visible in the view at the time of bookmarking,when you return to the bookmarked view, the node appears in the same positionregardless of how you altered the graph.

If no node was selected or if a selected node was only partly visible in the view,returning to the bookmarked view shows the previously displayed region in thegraph.


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Depending on how you altered the graph, the previously displayed nodes might notappear in the bookmarked region anymore. You’ll likely need to create a newbookmark.

As you add or delete nodes in a scene, Maya updates the layout of the scenehierarchy and dependency graph. Don’t be alarmed if you notice a node disappearsfrom a previously bookmarked view of the dependency graph. This is usually theresult of Maya conforming with its default graph layout.

To bookmark a view:

1 Track and dolly the view as desired.

2 Select Bookmarks > Create Bookmark. The bookmarked view gets a default name,for example, hyperView1. The name appears at the bottom of the Bookmarks menu.

To name a view before bookmarking it:

1 Track and dolly the view as desired.

2 Select Bookmarks > Create Bookmark ❒. The Name Bookmark window opens andprompts for the bookmark name.

3 Enter a bookmark name and click OK.

To return to a bookmarked view:

Select Bookmarks and the name of the bookmark at the bottom of the menu.

For example, select Bookmarks > MonsterHead.

To delete a bookmarked view:

1 Select Bookmarks > Bookmark Editor. The Bookmarks window opens, showing allbookmarks you added.

2 Select the name of the bookmark.

3 Select Edit > Delete Bookmark. The name of the bookmark is deleted.

To rename a bookmarked view:

1 Select Bookmarks > Bookmark Editor. The Bookmarks window opens, showing allbookmarks you added.

2 Select the name of the bookmark.

3 Select Edit > Rename Bookmark. The Rename Bookmark window opens andprompts for the bookmark name.

4 Enter the new name and click OK.

Tip

You can ensure that a bookmarked view displays a node even after youreposition, add, or delete nodes in the scene. To do so, select the node andmake sure its entire outline is visible in the view before creating thebookmark.

If you select two or more nodes, the bookmarked view displays the firstnode selected.



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You can also rename a bookmark by selecting Bookmarks > name ❒, where name isthe name of the bookmark. A prompt window opens and lets you enter the newname.

Displaying a graph vertically or horizontallyThe scene hierarchy and dependency graph have a horizontal layout by default.

If you prefer to look at a graph upright, you can change to a vertical layout.

To display the graph vertically:

Select Options > Orientation > Vertical.

To display the graph horizontally:

Select Options > Orientation > Horizontal.

Rebuilding the graphsIf your scene hierarchy or dependency graph doesn’t seem up to date, you canrebuild the graphs. For example, if you add an object to a scene and it doesn’t appearin the scene hierarchy, rebuild the graphs to make the scene hierarchy aware of theobject’s presence.

To rebuild the graph:

Select Graph > Rebuild.


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11 SETS AND PARTITIONS

A set is a collection of objects or components. For example, a set might includegeometric objects, NURBS CVs, polygonal vertices, lattice points, polygonal facets, orother items. Any item you can select can be in a set.

In some instances, Maya creates sets for you as you work with objects. For example,when you add a cluster to several CVs of a NURBS cone, Maya makes a set of theCVs. You can edit and tune such sets to control the area affected by deformation.

You can also create a custom set so you can work on its items with a single action.For instance, you can create a set of NURBS objects, then hide or display them as asingle entity.

HOW YOU CAN USE SETS

Here are the ways you can use sets:

• simplifying selection of objects or components that you regularly select or havedifficulty selecting in the workspace

• assigning objects to shading groups for rendering

• moving objects from one layer to another

• adjusting deformer, skin, and flexor deformation

• adjusting the weight of cluster, cluster flexor, and skin points

If you apply a deformer or skin to a geometric object, Maya creates a set for thegeometry’s CVs, vertices, or points. You can add or remove set members to alter theeffect of the deformer or skin. See Using Maya: Character Setup for details ondeformers and skins.

You can edit and tune sets tocontrol deformation of one ormore objects.


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For clusters and cluster flexors, you can apply different weights to the set membersto increase or decrease deformations at specified points.

For skin, you can apply different weights to the set members to increase or decreaseskin deformation around the joints.

You can create your own set of objects or components for easier selection andtransformation. For instance, suppose you need to repeatedly select the same fewCVs around the eye of a cyclops to animate the eye. Rather than struggle to select theCVs with a selection box, you might create a set named cyclops_eye for the CVs,then select the set by clicking the set name in the Relationship Editor.

When you create a shading group with the Hypershade, Maya creates a set thatrepresents the shading group. You can work with such sets rather than theHypershade to conveniently assign shading groups to objects. See Using Maya:Rendering for details on shading groups.

When you create a layer, Maya creates a set that represents it. You can work withsets rather than layer menu entries to quickly move members from one layer toanother.

When you add a field to vertices, CVs, or edit points, Maya creates a set named afterthe field, for instance, uniformFieldShape1Set. The set members are the vertices,CVs, or edit points to which you added the field. You can add or remove the setmembers to alter the effect of the field. See Using Maya: Dynamics for details onfields.

UNDERSTANDING SETS

It’s easiest to learn about sets by examining the display of the Relationship Editor,the main tool for working with sets. You can launch the Relationship Editor byselecting it from the main menu or with other common techniques such as theHotbox. For more information about the Relationship Editor, see "Using theRelationship Editor" on page 217.

To open the Relationship Editor:

From the main Maya menu, choose Window > Relationship Editors > Sets. TheRelationship Editor opens.



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You can also display the Relationship Editor in a workspace panel by choosingPanels > Panel > Relationship Editor. This lets you see the Maya user interface andthe Relationship Editor without having to reposition the windows.

Sets you createWhen you create a set, the Relationship Editor displays the set’s name and contents.You can apply an operation to a set to affect all its members.

Example

Suppose you create three NURBS spheres. You can put the spheres in a set asfollows:

1 Select the spheres in the workspace, Outliner, or elsewhere.

2 In the Sets panel of the Relationship Editor, select Edit > Create Set. The RelationshipEditor displays the newly created set.

By default, Maya gives the set the name set1 or something similar. To use your ownname rather than the default, choose Edit > Create Set ❒.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the set to expand its contents.

Note

Unless instructions in this chapter state otherwise, make all menu choicesfrom the Relationship Editor’s menu bar.


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The set contains nurbsSphere1, nurbsSphere2, and nurbsSphere3. Items indentedbelow a set name are its members. You can select the set to do operations on each ofits members.

4 To select the objects in the set, click the set name and select Edit > Select SetMembers.

This selects the three spheres that are members of the set. With the sphere membersselected, you can do operations such as:

• hide them from the workspace view

• translate, rotate, and scale

• start the Attribute Editor, so all three spheres are available for editing there

Subsequent topics provide more details on working with sets.

Sets created by MayaA new empty scene has the following default sets:

• defaultLightSet

• defaultObjectSet (not used)

• defaultLayer

• Shading group sets (initialShadingGroup, initialParticleSE)

In addition to the default sets, Maya creates sets automatically when you createshaders. It also creates sets automatically when you create deformers, flexors, orwhen you bind skin (Deformer and skin point sets).

defaultLightSetWhen you add a light to the scene, the light becomes a member of the defaultLightset by default. Maya keeps all lights in these sets, even when you assign a light toanother set.

defaultLayerEach scene has a default display layer that consists of all objects that have not beenassigned to any other layer. When you remove an object from a layer, it becomes amember of the default layer.

Shading group setsA new, empty scene has two shading group sets by default: initialShadingGroup andinitialParticleSE. These sets control the default shading of objects added to the scene.



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When you add a geometric object to the scene, the object becomes a member of theinitialShadingGroup set by default. The shading group colors its members a dullgray. (You can see the default gray color of such objects in the workspace bychoosing Shading > Smooth Shade All.)

If you create a sphere, for instance, Maya adds the sphere to the initialShadingGroupset.

Maya keeps a newly added geometric object in the initialShadingGroup set until youcreate and assign a different shader to the object. Maya then relocates the object to aset it creates for the shading group you created. You typically won’t do anythingdirectly with the initialShadingGroup set. It’s for Maya’s internal use as you makeshading choices.

Example

Suppose you use the Hypershade to create a Phong material. When you create thenode, Maya creates a set named phong1SG. This set represents the Phong shadinggroup.

Suppose further you use the Hypershade to assign phong1SG to a geometric objectnamed nurbsSphere1. Maya moves the object from the initialShadingGroup to thephong1SG set.

The object receives its surface shading from the options you set in the AttributeEditor for the phong1SG node.

If you were to add a particle object to a scene, it would become part of theinitialParticleSE shading group set. This set has the same purpose asinitialShadingGroup, only it controls the default shading characteristics of particlesrather than geometry.

An object can be part of only one shading group set—whether initialShadingGroup,the initialParticleSE, or one you create.

By looking at the members of the shading group sets, you can see which objects areshaded by the shading groups you’ve added to your scene. To try out variousshaders on different objects, use the middle-mouse button to drag objects from oneshading group set to another.

Member of the setinitialShadingGroup

Member ofphong1SG


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For more details on working with shading groups, see Using Maya: Rendering.

Deformer and skin point setsWhen you attach a deformer to an object, Maya creates a set from the object’s points.When you bind skin to a skeleton, Maya creates two or more sets for the skin pointsattached to the joints. (To see these sets, you must select Deformer Set Editing fromthe drop-down list in the Relationship Editor.) See Using Maya: Character Setup fordetails on deformers and skin points.

Example

Suppose you create a NURBS cone, select several CVs, then choose Deform > CreateCluster from the Animation menu to apply a cluster.

Maya creates a set named cluster1Set or something similar by default.

The set contains the points in the cone controlled by the cluster. In such sets, you canalter deformations by adding and removing points or by editing point weights ofexisting members.

For example, you can add corresponding points from a newly added cone in thescene. The added points deform with the existing points as you translate, rotate, orscale the cluster handle.

Apply cluster tothese points

Applying a clustercreates a set

SETS AND PARTITIONS | 11Creating, selecting, and removing sets


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CREATING, SELECTING, AND REMOVING SETS

The following topics describe how to create, select, and remove a set. Note thatbinding skin or adding a deformer or flexor to an object automatically creates one ormore sets. You don’t need to create a set for such objects. See "Sets created by Maya"on page 300 for details.

Creating setsYou can create a set of geometric objects, CVs, vertices, polygonal faces, or otheritems.

To create a set with a default name:


For example, use the Paint Selection Tool (Edit > Paint Selection Tool) to select CVs.

If you don’t select any objects, an empty set will be created in the next step. You canadd to an empty set later.

2 From Maya’s main menu, select Create > Sets > Set.

or

From the Relationship Editor, select Set Editing from the drop-down list and selectEdit > Create Set in the Sets panel.

The set appears with a default name in the Relationship Editor.

To create a set and name it:


2 From Maya’s main menu, choose Create > Sets > Set ❒.

or

From the Relationship Editor, select Set Editing from the drop-down list and selectEdit > Create Set ❒ from the Sets panel.

The Create Set Options window opens.

3 Enter the name of the set in the Name text box.

For example, enter nurbsObjects.


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Other options in the window let you add the set to a partition. See "Adding sets topartitions" on page 309 for details.

4 Click Apply and Close. The set appears with the chosen name in the RelationshipEditor.

If a set or other item in the scene already has the specified name, the new set namewill be appended with a number.

Selecting setsYou can select a set or the contents of a set. You must select a set to remove orrename it. You must select the contents of the set to apply an action to each memberof the set.

To select a set:

1 In the right panel of the Relationship Editor, click the name of the set and selectEdit > Select Highlighted.

You can also select the set in the Outliner or Hypergraph’s dependency graph view.

To display set members in the Outliner so you can select them, turn on Display > Setmembers.

To display sets in the Hypergraph’s dependency graph view, select the object shapenode associated with the set and choose Graph > Up and Downstream Connections.

To select a set’s contents only:

1 In the left panel of the Relationship Editor, click the name of the set.

2 Select Edit > Select Set Members. This selects the contents of the set, but not the set.

Removing setsIf you are no longer using a set, you can remove it without removing its members.

To remove a set, but not its members:

1 In the Relationship Editor, select Set Editing from the drop-down list.

2 Click the name of the set in the left panel.

3 Select Edit > Delete Highlighted.

Creating sets for quick selectionYou can create a set of joints, geometry, CVs, materials, or other items for quickselection in the main menu. You might want to do this, for instance, so you can selectdifferent animation characters quickly without having to start the RelationshipEditor. This is also useful for selecting items not visible in the workspace, forinstance, invisible objects.

To create a quick select set:

1 Select the objects or items.

2 From the main Maya menu bar, select Create > Sets > Quick Select Set. The CreateQuick Select Set window prompts for a set name.

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3 Enter the set name for the items and click OK. This creates the set and puts its namein the cascading menu to the right of Edit > Quick Select Sets in the Maya mainmenu.

To select items in the quick select set:

From the main Maya menu bar, select Edit > Quick Select Sets and the name of theset.

This selects the items in the set, not the set itself.

EDITING SET MEMBERSHIP

You can add or remove members of a set using the Relationship Editor, the Paint SetMembership Tool, or the Edit Membership Tool.

The advantage of the Relationship Editor is that it:

• includes a formatted list of set members and associated objects

• displays U and V parameters of NURBS curve and surface CVs

• lets you edit the weight of cluster, cluster flexor, and skin points

For information on using the Relationship Editor to add and remove set members,see "Adding and removing relationship members" on page 221.

The advantage of the Paint Set Membership Tool is that you can modify which of adeformable object’s points (for example, CVs or vertices) belong to multipledeformer sets by painting the points you want added to, transferred to, or removedfrom the set, directly on the object. Color feedback makes sets easy to identify. SeeUsing Maya: Character Setup for details.

The advantage of the Edit Membership Tool is that you can add and remove setmembers in the workspace without using another window or panel. This is ideal forquickly altering membership of sets Maya creates for deformers and skin. See UsingMaya: Character Setup for details.

ALTERING THE DISPLAY OF SETS

You can display all sets in your scene (including character sets, deformer sets,shading groups, and layers) in the Relationship Editor. For information on theoptions for narrowing or broadening which sets display, so you spend less timescrolling and expanding sets, see the following:

• "Displaying relationships and objects" on page 218

• "Setting view options" on page 218

• "Selecting which relationships and objects show" on page 219


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UNDERSTANDING PARTITIONS

A partition is a collection of related sets. The sets in a partition can have nooverlapping members.

As you create shading groups, bind skin, and do a few other tasks, Maya createspartitions. It does this to keep the sets separate where an operation would behindered by overlapping members. You can also create custom partitions to keepyour own sets separate.

Partitions you createWhen you use the Create > Sets > Set menu item to create a set, its members can, bydefault, exist in any other set you’ve created. In some instances, you might want toprevent two sets from having overlapping members. You can do this by creating apartition and putting the sets in it.

Example

Suppose you’re animating a cartoon character’s nose as he smiles and laughs. Youadded a cluster to several CVs for adjusting the nose as he smiles and another clusterto different CVs for adjusting the nose as he laughs.

Creating the two clusters creates a set for each group of CVs. Occasionally you wantto move CVs from one set to the other, to alter the deformations that occur as youtransform the clusters.

When you move the CVs from one set to the other set, they remain in the first set.You might not want the CVs in the first set because they add undesirabledeformations as you transform the cluster.

To avoid this problem, you can create a partition and put both sets in it. Thepartition prevents one set from having members of another set. When you move theCVs from the first set to the second set, they’re automatically removed from the firstset.

You can also add a partition to prevent clusters from having overlapping memberswhen you add the cluster with Deform > Create Cluster ❒. See Using Maya: CharacterSetup for details.

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Partitions created by MayaMaya creates partitions in cases where objects or items must be kept separate forcorrect operation. A new scene has two partitions by default:

• characterPartition

• renderPartition

The characterPartition contains the character sets for each character you create. Withall the character sets in the same partition, you can be sure that the attributes in onecharacter set will not be in some other character set.

The renderPartition contains the shading group sets explained in "Shading groupsets" on page 300.

Because you can apply only one shading group per object or per polygonal facet, therendering partition ensures you can’t accidentally render a single object or polygonalfacet with two shading groups.

If you rigid bind skin to a skeleton, Maya also creates a partition. The partition hasthe name joint1skinPartition or something similar. It contains all the skin point setsin your scene. The partition prevents you from assigning skin points to two differentjoints, which would result in undesirable skin deformations when you manipulate askeleton.

If creating a deformer with the Exclusive option, Maya creates a partition nameddeformPartition by default. The partition contains all deformer point sets in yourscene. It prevents you from assigning points to two different sets, which might resultin undesirable deformations when you manipulate the deformers.

Because Maya creates partitions for you when it makes sense to do so, you’ll rarelyneed to create your own partitions. Still, if you find a situation where you need tocreate one, you can do so as described in the next topic.

The LaughCVs and SmileCVssets in the NoseParts partitioncannot have overlappingmembers.


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SETS AND PARTITIONS | 11Creating, displaying, and removing partitions

CREATING, DISPLAYING, AND REMOVING PARTITIONS

The following procedures describe how to create, display, and remove partitions.

To create a partition:

1 Make sure no objects or other items are selected.

2 Select any sets you want to put in the partition. See "Selecting sets" on page 304 fordetails.

3 To create a partition with a default name, select Create > Sets > Partition on theMaya main menu.

or

In the Relationship Editor, select Partition Editing from the drop-down list and selectEdit > Create Partition in the Partitions panel.

To display partitions:

In the Relationship Editor, select Partition Editing from the drop-down list. Thepartitions appear in the left panel.

To see the sets a partition contains, click the plus sign (+) beside the partition name.

To remove a partition, but not its sets:

1 In the Relationship Editor, select Partition Editing from the drop-down list and clickthe name of the partition in the left panel.

2 Select Edit > Delete Highlighted.

This removes the partition, but not the sets within the partition.

To remove a set from a partition:

1 In the Relationship Editor, select Partition Editing from the drop-down list.

2 In the Partitions panel, expand the partition to see the set(s).

3 Click the set you want to remove and select Edit > Remove Highlighted fromPartition.

Note

To name the partition when you create it, replace step #3 with:

Select Create > Sets > Partition ❐ in the Maya main menu or in theRelationship Editor, select Edit > Create Partition ❐.

Enter the name of the partition in the Name text box of the PartitionOptions window and click Apply and Close.

SETS AND PARTITIONS | 11Adding sets to partitions


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ADDING SETS TO PARTITIONS

The following procedures describe how to add and move sets to partitions:

To add a set to an existing partition when you create the set:

1 Select the objects or items to be put in the set.

2 From Maya’s main menu, select Create > Sets > Set ❒.

or

In the Relationship Editor, select Set Editing from the drop-down list and selectEdit > Create Set ❒ in the left panel.

The Create Set Options window opens.

3 Enter the name of the set in the Name text box.

4 To add the set to a partition turn on Only if Exclusive or By Making Exclusive.

5 Select the name of the partition from the Partition pull-down menu.

6 Click the Apply and Close button.

If the partition already has a set containing elements of the selected object, when youselect Only if Exclusive, Maya doesn’t add the member and instead displays awarning message in the Command Feedback Line.

If you select By Making Exclusive, Maya adds the member to the set after removingthe member from the set it’s already part of.

Maya puts the set in the selected partition.

To add a set to a partition:

1 In the Relationship Editor, select Partition Editing from the drop-down list.

2 In the Partitions panel, click the partition you want to add to.

3 In the Objects panel, click the set to be added into the partition.

or

Select the set in the Outliner and select Edit > Add Selected Items in the RelationshipEditor.


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SETS AND PARTITIONS | 11Adding sets to partitions

PART 3

PREFERENCES

Image by Kevin Mannens


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12 SETTING PREFERENCES

You can use preferences to customize Maya to the way you work. You can changegeneral color definitions, the way manipulators display, and the appearance of theShelf, menu bars, and panels. This chapter describes how to set preferences in Maya.

SETTINGS/PREFERENCES MENU

The Window > Settings/Preferences menu gives you access to the various Mayapreferences windows, including:

Preferences See "Preferences window" on page 316 in this chapter.

Tool Settings Opens the settings for the current tool. See "Specifying tool settings" on page 332 inthis chapter. Also see information on the specific tool.

Performance Settings

See "Specifying performance settings" on page 333 in this chapter.

Hotkeys Displays the Hotkey Editor to let you create and edit your own hotkey combinations.See "Assigning hotkeys" on page 362.

Colors Displays the Colors window to let you specify the color of various components ofMaya, including the Hypergraph and the Multilister. See "Changing color settings"on page 330 in this chapter.

Marking Menus Displays the Marking Menus window to let you edit the marking menus. See"Creating and editing marking menus" on page 351.

Shelves Displays the Shelves window to let you create and edit shelves. See "Creating andediting shelves" on page 339.

Panels Displays the Panels window to let you create and edit your own panels. See"Working with Panels and Layouts" on page 367.

Plug-inManager Opens the Plug-in Manager to let you load and unload plug-in software and Maya

modules. See "Loading and unloading plug-ins" on page 334.


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SETTING PREFERENCES | 12Where Maya stores preferences

WHERE MAYA STORES PREFERENCES

Many of the settings that define the Maya user interface are stored in .mel files in thethe following directory:

~username/maya/4.0/prefs (UNIX)drive:\Windows\Profiles\username\maya\4.0\prefs (Windows NT)drive:\My Documents\username\maya\4.0\prefs (Windows 2000)

Shelves are stored in the shelves subdirectory, icons are stored in the iconssubdirectory, and marking menus are stored in the markingMenus subdirectory.

When you customize Maya, your new settings are stored in user preference files, sothat each time you open Maya, your settings are used instead of the Maya defaultsettings. If you delete a preference file, Maya uses the default settings.

Color and hotkey files

The following .mel files store settings you have customized using the Colors windowand Hotkey Editor.

• userColors.mel – Contains preferences defined on the Active and Inactive tabs of theColors window.

• userRGBColors.mel – Contains preferences defined on the General tab of the Colorswindow.

• paletteColors.mel – Defines the colors (RGB) making up the index palette in theActive and Inactive tabs of the Colors window.

• userHotkeys.mel – Contains any hotkeys you have assigned in the Hotkey Editorwindow.

• userNamedCommands.mel – Contains all the commands that have hotkeys assignedto them.

Default hotbox marking menus

The following files define the default Hotbox marking menus.

• menu_ChangePanelLayout.mel – North

• menu_ChangePanelType.mel – South

• menu_ChangeSelectionMask.mel – West

• menu_CommonModelingPanes.mel – Center

• menu_ControlPaneVisibility.mel – East

User preferences

The following files define user preferences.

• userPrefs.mel – Contains preferences defined in the Preferences window (Window >Settings/Preferences > Preferences).

• windowPrefs.mel – Defines the default size and position of Maya windows.

SETTING PREFERENCES | 12Saving preferences using userSetup.mel


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SAVING PREFERENCES USING USERSETUP.MEL

While you save most Maya user preferences through the user interface, you can alsostore preferences not stored through the user interface by creating the fileuserSetup.mel in the following directory:

~username/maya/4.0/scripts (UNIX)drive:\Windows\Profiles\username\maya\4.0\scripts (Windows NT)drive:\My Documents\username\maya\4.0\scripts (Windows 2000)

Whenever you launch Maya, the MEL commands in this file run. For example, youcould put the following command in the userSetup.mel file:

alias djs jointDisplayScale;

This creates an alias named djs, that lets you set the joint size without using theDisplay > Joint Size menu or typing jointDisplayScale. You can enter the djs aliaswith a joint size in the Command Line or Script Editor:

djs 1.5;

In this example, the joint size is set to 1.5.

For details about writing MEL scripts, see Using Maya: MEL.

Important

The scene is cleared of all objects after the commands in the userSetup.melfile are run. Therefore, any scene elements created using the userSetup.melfile will have been removed when Maya comes up.


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SETTING PREFERENCES | 12Preferences window

PREFERENCES WINDOW

You can set a variety of preferences in the Preferences window (Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences). Select a category on the left and set the relatedpreferences on the right.

Saving and reverting changesYour changes to the preferences are saved automatically when you quit Maya orwhen you click the Save button in the Preferences window. If you need to revert toprevious settings, you can use the options under the Edit menu: Revert to Saved andRestore Default Settings.

Revert to Saved returns all preferences to the settings when you last saved. RestoreDefault Settings returns all preferences to the default settings.

InterfaceMenu Set This determines which menu set displays in the main Maya menu bar on start-up.

The default is Animation.

Show Menubar Hides or displays the main menu bar and the Panels menu bar.

Show Title Bar Hides or displays the title bars in the main window and the Script Editor. The titlebar includes window control buttons for expanding and collapsing the application.

Windows Turn on Remember Size and Position so that Maya restores the size and position ofall windows when closed and re-opened. If turned off, the Maya windows alwaysdisplay in the center of the screen upon opening.

Tip

For your preference changes to take effect, make sure you click Save.



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Command Line Turn on Hold Focus if you want the cursor to stay in the Command Line after youpress Enter. Otherwise, the cursor returns to the current window.

Open Attribute Editor

Use this option to specify how the Attribute Editor displays when you open it (suchas pressing Ctrl+A). To open the Attribute Editor in a separate window, select InSeparate Window. To open the Attribute Editor in the main Maya window, select InMain Maya Window.

Open ToolSettings Use this option to specify how the Tool Settings display when you open them. To

open the Tool Settings in a separate window, select In Separate Window. To openthe Tool Settings in the main Maya window, select In Main Maya Window.

ExpressionEditor Select an Expression Editor for editing text.

UI ElementsVisible UIElements Hides or displays UI elements. You can also control this display from the Display >

UI Elements menu.

Turns on any elements you want displayed in the Maya main window.

MiscDisplay Time Specify a display time for pop-up help. The default is four seconds.

WindowSelection Select whether Maya uses the existing help browser window (Use an Existing Help

Browser Window) or creates a new one (Create a New Help Browser Window forMaya Help) when you select a Help menu item.

WindowVisibility Select whether an html browser appears when you select Help > Library, Global

Index, Search, Maya Basics, or MEL. The default is on.

When Saving When Save Panel Layouts with File is turned on, the panel layouts are saved withthe scene file. The default is on. (This replaces the former Save File options.)

When Opening When turned on, this restores saved layouts from the file. The default is on. (Thisreplaces the former Open File options.)

Starting New Scenes

You can specify a layout for new scenes.

Keep CurrentLayout Keeps the current layout for new scenes.

Use Layout SpecifiedBelow Creates new scenes based on the layout selected from the pull-

down menu. Single Perspective View is the default.

Note

You cannot display both the Channel Box and the Attribute Editor in themain Maya window at the same time.


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DisplayFast Interaction Turns Fast Interaction on to improve performance by displaying fewer geometric

entities (such as polygons). The default is off.

Axes Displays one or both of the XYZ coordinates (view and origin axes). If you disableboth choices, no XYZ coordinates appear.

View Axis Displays the XYZ coordinates in the bottom left corner of the view.The default is on.

Origin Axis Displays the XYZ coordinates at coordinates 0, 0, 0. The default ison.

Grid Plane Displays or hides the grid plane. The grid is a 2D plane that represents 3Ddimensions in the view. It is useful when you want to animate motion relative to asolid surface. Select Hide to hide the grid. The default is Show.

This setting overrides the Display > Grid setting described in "Using a grid" on page115.

Active ObjectPivots Specify whether to display pivot points. The default is off.

Affected Highlighting

Turns highlighting display on or off. An object associated with or affected by aselected object is highlighted in a different color. The default is on.

Wireframe on Shaded

Select how you want to display the wireframe on shaded objects.

Full Displays normal resolution wireframes on shaded objects. This isthe default.

Reduced Displays fewer wires on shaded objects.

None Displays no wires on shaded objects. Performance is enhanced ifyou select None.

Region of Effect This option lets you turn on or off the region of effect display. Region of effect is thepart of an object that will potentially change as a result of moving selected CVs. Notethat curves show the region of effect as well as surfaces. The default is on.

Note

You can edit this highlight color by selecting Window > Settings/Preferences > Colors, clicking the Active tab, expanding General, andmodifying Active Affected.



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ShadeTemplates If on, template objects appear shaded in shaded view. If off, the templated objects

appear as wireframes while all other objects appear shaded. The default is off.

KinematicsJoint Size Changes the display size of skeleton joint sizes. The range is from 0.01 to 5.0.

IK Handle Size Changes the display size of IK handles. The range is from 0.01 to 5.0.

AnimationSteps before Current Frame

Specifies how many ghosted images are drawn at frames before the current frame.Type a value or drag the slider. The default is 3.

Steps after Current Frame

Specifies how many ghosted images are drawn at frames after the current frame.Type a value or drag the slider. The default is 3.

Frames Per Step Specifies the number of frames between drawing the ghosts. Type a value or dragthe slider. The default is 3.

ManipulatorsGlobal Scale Specifies the size of the manipulators. The range is from 0.10 to 10.00.

Region ofEffect on

Region ofEffect off


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Handle Size Specifies the size of the handle. The range is from 4 to 100.

Line Size Specifies the line thickness size of the rotate manipulator’s rings.

Line Pick Size Determines the line thickness used when picking the rotate manipulator rings. Thepick size should be the same as line size, so you can identify which handle will bepicked by the size of the ring.

Previous StateSize Controls the size of the points drawn for a previous feedback. For example, for the

Move Tool, an axis is drawn to indicate the previous position, with square points atthe end of the axes. This controls the size of the squares.

Rotate and scale manipulators also have previous state feedback. This type offeedback is shown only when you drag; it disappears as soon as you release themouse.

DefaultManipulator You can specify a Default Manipulator option in the Show Manipulator section to

control what manipulator, if any, appears when you select the Show ManipulatorTool. The Default Manipulator options include:

None Does not display a manipulator.

Translate Displays the Move Tool’s manipulator.

Rotate Displays the Rotate Tool’s manipulator.

Scale Displays the Scale Tool’s manipulator.

Transform Displays the Transform (triple) manipulator.

Smart Checks the first child and if it is a shape displays the historymanipulator for the shape. Otherwise displays the Transform(triple) manipulator. This is the default.



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NURBSNew Curves, New Surfaces

Select whether you want Edit Points, Hulls, and/or CVs on new curves or newsurfaces:

SurfaceDivisions Controls the smoothness of an object in a view. It also affects the rendering of newly

created surfaces. Enter a value or use the slider. The range is from 0 to 64. The higherthe value, the smoother the surface.

Curve Divisions Controls the smoothness of a curve in a view. Enter a value or use the slider. Therange is from 1 to 128. The higher the value, the smoother the curve.

ShadedDivisions Controls how smooth your smooth-shaded object looks. Enter a value or use the

slider. The range is from 1 to 64. The higher the value, the smoother the smooth-shaded object.

PolygonsVertices Specify how you want vertices to display:

Display Turns the display of vertices on or off.

Normals Displays vertex normals on or off.

Backculling Makes vertices invisible in areas where the normal is pointingaway from the camera.

Edges Specify how you want edges to display:

Standard Displays all edges the same (hard or soft).

Soft/Hard Displays soft edges as dotted lines and hard edges as solid lines.

Only Hard Displays hard edges only (makes soft invisible).

Highlight Specify how you want to highlight polygons:

Border Edges Displays thicker outside edges to make them more visible forcertain operations.

TextureBorders Displays a thick border to highlight the area a texture affects per

polygon or per vertex.

Border Width Specify the width of the polygon border. The range is from 1 to 10.

Faces Specify how you want faces to display:

Centers Displays a small square to indicate the face center.

Normals Shows the normals at the center of each polygon.

Triangles Displays all polygons as triangles.

Note

These options work only on new curves or surfaces, not existing items.


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Non-planar Displays non-planar faces with a tinted color for easyidentification. A non-planar face has vertices that lie outside theplane of the face. By identifying and eliminating non-planar faces,you can avoid unexpected results from reshaping the surface later.

Show ItemNumbers Specify where you want item numbers displayed: at each vertex (Vertices), at each

edge (Edges), on each face (Faces), or at each UV (UVs).

Normals Size Specifies the display size of the normals. The range is from 0.1 to 10.

Color Turn Colored Shading on to use the Apply Color operation (EditPolygons > Colors > Apply Color). For details, Using Maya: Polygonal Modeling.

Color Material These menu options override any existing material channels and replace them withthe vertex colors you assign. For all options other than None, lighting affects theobject’s shading.

None None of the material properties of the shader(s) assigned to theobject are used. In this case lighting is also disabled.

Ambient The ambient material channel of the assigned shader(s) isoverridden by the vertex color.

Ambient+Diffuse The ambient and diffuse material channels of the assignedshader(s) are overridden by the vertex color.

Diffuse The diffuse material channel of the assigned shader(s) isoverridden by the vertex color.

Specular The specular material channel of the assigned shader(s) isoverridden by the vertex color.

Emission The emission material channel of the assigned shader(s) isoverridden by the vertex color.

BackfaceCulling Specify the display for backface culling:

Off No backface culling occurs. This is the default.

On Surfaces become invisible in areas where the normal is pointingaway from the camera.

Keep Wire Displays wireframe outlines, but any areas where the normal ispointing away from the camera are hidden.

Keep HardEdges Sets backface culling for soft edges only. See Using Maya: Polygonal

Modeling for more information on polygonal modeling.

SettingsUp Axis Sets the up axis to Y or Z. The default is Y. See "Orienting the XYZ system" on page

41.

Linear Sets the unit of measure for operations that use linear values, for example, movingand scaling. The default unit for measuring linear values is centimeters.

Angular Sets the unit of measure for operations that use an angular value, for example,rotation. The default unit for measuring angular values is degrees.



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Time Sets Maya’s internal representation of what one “second” is. For example, in adynamics simulation, which relies on real world timings, the resulting simulationwill produce keys which represent one second as 24 frames (Maya’s default value).

It also allows you to compensate for intermediate output devices (for example,Abekas, etc.) which may have different frame rates to your final output (for example,Film). When changed, your animation keys will move in time to match that range.This is only while your time units are on that alternate setting. Returning the timeunits to your creation setting will return your keys to their original location.

The default for measuring time is Film 24fps (24 frames per second).

Keep Keys atCurrent Frame By default when you change the current time unit, the times for any existing keys are

modified so that playback timing is preserved. For example, a key set at frame 12filmchanges to frame 15ntsc when the current time unit is changed to ntsc, since theyboth represent a key at 0.5 seconds. When this option is on, it will leave the key at12ntsc that was originally at 12film. The default setting for this option is off. Theoption will turn itself on once the current time unit is changed.

Tolerance

The Tolerance value determines the degree of accuracy that is maintained betweenthe original and fit (or interpolated) curves. This setting applies globally to Maya.You can change it on a case-by-case basis. Set the following tolerance options:

Positional Set the degree of accuracy between the actual positions of the original andinterpolated curves.

Tangential Set the degree of accuracy required to determine if two NURBS objects are to bemade tangent across a shared edge or point.

DynamicsAuto Create Rigid Body

Turn this option on to automatically create active rigid bodies when you connect anobject to a field (apply a field’s influence to geometry).

Run Up To Current Time

If you click a frame in the Time Slider, the correct state of all dynamic objects in thescene is displayed only if Maya performs run-up to calculate each frame prior to thatframe. Turn this option on if you want to click frames in the Time Slider. Note thatrun-up also occurs for hidden objects.

Leave run-up turned off if you want to prevent Maya from calculating dynamicswhen you click in the Time Slider. This is useful in a scene that has both nondynamicobjects and complex dynamic objects, where you want the state of nondynamicobjects to appear promptly after you click the Time Slider. If you are keying dynamicobjects, it’s also useful leave run-up turned off to avoid waiting for run-upcalculations that are irrelevant to your keying activities.

Note

Be sure you set your preferred time unit for a particular session, beforecreating any animation. This will ensure correct timing of your keyframes,for the final output and final fps setting.


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Run Up From Select one of the following options:

Previous Time If you click a frame higher than the current frame, run-up startsfrom the prior current time and ends at the frame you click. Selectthis option if you won’t be changing any attributes of a dynamicobject in the scene. This setting lessens the time you’ll spendwaiting for run-up. If you click a frame lower than the currentframe, run-up starts from the beginning of the animation.

Start Time Run-up starts from the start frame regardless of where you click inthe Time Slider. Select this option if you plan to change anyattributes of a dynamic object in the scene. This ensures that yousee the correct object states when you click in the Time Slider aftermodifying an object’s dynamics.

Save Startup Cache for Particles

When this option is turned on (the default), Maya automatically saves the start-upcache for all your particles every time you save the file. Unlike particle disk caches,you don't have to create the start-up cache explicitly every time. See Using Maya:Dynamics for more information.

Files/ProjectsDefault Projects Directory,Always Start in This Project

Use these settings to set up a default projects directory when you create new projectsand on startup.

Files,Increments,Projects Specify how many files, increments, and projects you want to have listed in each of

the File > Recent submenus.

On File Save Specify the compression mode you want to use when saving an ASCII file:

Compressed Saves files in compressed mode. File compression reduces thesizes of large files so they do not occupy as much space on yourhard drive.

Uncompressed Saves files in uncompressed mode.

As Is Keeps files in their original compression mode rather thancompressing or uncompressing them. As Is is the default.

File ImportMerge Specify how you want the Display Layer merged when you import a file.

None All layers read in are put in a new layer, renumbered, andrenamed, if necessary to preserve uniqueness.

By Number Rather than creating a new layer, all layers read in that have thesame index number as an existing layer are merged with thatlayer.

By Name Rather than creating a new layer, all layers read in that have thesame name as an existing layer are merged with that layer.



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KeysAuto Key Turn Auto Key on to automatically set keys on keyable attributes of an animated

object (including lights, shaders, textures, cameras, and so on).

New CurveDefault Use this menu to create blends between rotations using quaternions rather than

Euler angles.

WeightedTangents Turn Weighted Tangents on to give animation curve tangents weight. The default is

turned off, which means the tangents are non-weighted.

Default In Tangent, Default Out Tangent

Set the default In and Out Tangents to:

Spline Creates an animation curve that is smooth between the key beforeand the key after the selected key.

Linear Creates an animation curve as a straight line joining two keys.

Clamped Creates an animation curve which has the characteristics of linearand spline curves.

Flat Sets the in and out tangents of the key to be horizontal (with aslope of 0 degrees).

Stepped Creates an animation curve whose out tangent is a flat curve.

ModelingOutputGeometry As These settings determine the type of geometry created from modeling actions such

as Revolve, Loft, Extrude, Fillet Blend, and so forth. Setting it here affects allapplicable modeling actions. Otherwise, select Mixed to use the individual settingsof each modeling action.

InteractionMode Specify whether you want certain NURBS modeling commands to behave like

actions or tools. An action performs a discreet function on selected objects. A tool letsyou manipulate objects until you complete the operation. You may want to changeactions to tools as you become proficient at Maya’s NURBS modeling, or it you areaccustomed to Power Animator tools.

To globally change the applicable modeling tools, choose Everything is a Tool orEverything is an Action. To individually set each command, choose Mixed.

While Duplicating Select an option to specify how to handle node names while duplicating child nodes.

Retain Same Name forChild Nodes The child node name remains the same when the hierarchy is

duplicated. This is the default.

Assign Unique Name toChild Nodes The child node is renamed when the hierarchy is duplicated.


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Selection

Modifiers

Modifiers control Maya selection operations. They work with masks to control whatis displayed when you select items. You can turn on one or more of the following:

Single Marquee Select

Selects the first object in a hierarchy.

Click DragSelect Lets you perform one-step click-dragging with the transformation tools. You can

move one object using the Move tool, then click on a second object and the Move tooldisplays. This means you do not have to select the object and the Move tool again—you can keep using the Move tool on any subsequent selected object. The default isoff.

Affects Active If you change from object to component selection mode, the selected object is notaffected. This option lets you select objects and components at the same time. Thedefault is on.

Popup MenuSelection When objects overlap in the view, lets you display a pop-up list of the objects so you

can select them. Left-click on the overlap area to display the menu. The default is off.

Ignore Selection Priority

Treats all objects with the same priority. The selection order does not matter. Thedefault is off.

Expand PopupList If you turned on Expand Popup List, displays all the pop-up list of objects and

everything underneath it in the hierarchy. The default is off.



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Click Box Size This option controls the size of the selection area around the mouse pointer, or clickbox. If you are having problems with selecting objects or components, try adjustingthis option. For example, a higher click box size might make it easier to select curves.Increasing the click box size is also useful if you have a high resolution screendisplay.

Polygon Selection

Select Faceswith Specify how you want to select polygonal faces:

Center Select polygonal faces at their center. In other words, you mustclick the box at the center of the face to select the entire face.

Whole Face Select the entire face. You can click anywhere on the face, even anyface edge, to select it.

Priority

You can specify a selection priority for objects and components. By default, NURBScurves have a higher selection priority than surfaces. This means that Maya willselect the NURBS curve before the surface when you select geometry that containsboth NURBS curves and surfaces.

SnappingWith these options, you can control the size region around the mouse pointer that isused for the snap operation.

Use SnapTolerance When on, the snap region is restricted to a square area around the cursor, defined by

the Snap Tolerance option. When off, the snap region is unlimited; you can snap toanything viewable.

Snap Tolerance Controls the size of the snapping area around the cursor when Use Snap Tolerance ison. For example, if you have two curves close together and you try snapping to oneof the curves, the object may snap to the wrong curve. To avoid this, try using asmall Snap Tolerance value.

SoundWaveformDisplay The Waveform Display option allows you to control how much of the sound’s

waveform is displayed.

Top Displays only the top half of the sound.

1 Scroll to select the itemyou want to prioritize.

3 Enter thepriority number.

2 Select Custom.


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Bottom Displays only the bottom half of the sound.

All Displays the full waveform.

Repeat on Hold Repeats a sound at the current time. You must hold the mouse button down in theTime Slider. For more information on using sound with Maya, see Using Maya:Animation.

Repeat Size Controls how much sound (in the current time unit) is repeated when you turn onRepeat on Hold.

TimelinePlayback Start/End Specifies the range of time to use as your time playback range.

Animation Start/End Displays the entire range of times available.

Height Adjusts the height of the time slider. This helps with sound synching (as asoundtrack can be displayed in the time slider.) Select 1x for the default size, 2x todouble the size of the slider, and 4x to increase the size four times.

Key Ticks Keyframe ticks show the location of keys along the time slider. Select None to turnthe key tick display off, Active to display only active keys, or Channel Box to displayonly those keys in the Channel Box.

Options Turn the following options on or off:

Timecode Changes the default display of time to video standard timecode.Enables the Timecode Offset box so you can supply timecodes tomatch the timing from videotape.

Snapping Turns key snapping on or off. When on, the time indicator showsinteger values only.

TimecodeOffset The Timecode Offset lets you specify how time 0 on the Time Slider appears when

displaying in Timecode mode. For example, if the Timecode Offset is set to threehours (a value of 03:00:00:00), the Timecode Display would read 03:00:00:00 at time 0.



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Update View Specifies whether Maya plays back an animation in All modeling views or only inthe active view. The default is Active.

Looping Specifies how you want Maya to play back an animation. Select Once to play ananimation once, then stop. Select Oscillate to play an animation forwards andbackwards continuously. Select Continuous to play an animation continuously.Continuous is the default setting.

PlaybackSpeed Specifies the frame rate for playback.

Play every frame – Displays all the frames of your animation. Each frame is updatedcompletely before proceeding to the next one. Specify the exact rate in the Playbackby box. This rate reflects your system’s ability to draw your animation on screen andis not necessarily a real-time playback mode. This is the default setting.

Real-time (24 fps) – Plays your animation in real-time. Some frames may be dropped(not displayed) to execute this in real-time. This depends on your system’scapabilities, the complexity of your scenes, and the display mode for the playback.

Half (12 fps) – Plays back at exactly half the speed of real time.

Twice (48 fps) – Plays back at twice real-time speed.

Other – Enables the Other box so you can enter an exact ratio of playback rate to real-time.

Playback by If you select Play every frame for the Playback Speed, specify the exact rate in thisbox. This rate reflects your system’s ability to draw you animation on screen and isnot necessarily a real-time playback mode. The default setting is 1.0.

UndoUndo Select On if you want to be able to undo operations. This is the default. See

"Selecting objects" on page 69.

Queue Select Infinite to perform an unlimited number of undo operations. This option canuse a lot of memory. Select Finite to limit the number of undo operations you canperform (specified in the Queue Size box). The default is Finite.

Queue Size If Finite is the selected Queue setting, specify here the number of undo operationsyou can perform. The default is 10.

ModulesMaya includes a number of different software modules. Each time you start Maya,the software loads all the available licensed modules.

Disabling packages to free up RAMLoading several modules can use a lot of RAM and thus increase the start-up time.To avoid this, you can disable one or more of the modules. You can still load adisabled module by selecting it from the main menu bar.

Disabling modules based on tasksYou can also disable various modules based on the specific tasks you areperforming. For example, if you are only rendering, you can improve systemresponse time by disabling Dynamics.


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SETTING PREFERENCES | 12Changing color settings

CHANGING COLOR SETTINGS

You may want to make certain components stand out from a scene or object.

Changing default colorsYou can change the default colors used by Maya in the Colors window

To open the Colors window:

Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Colors. The Colors window opens.

The Colors window has three tabs. Each tab allows you to change the default colorsfor a different set of components.

General tab Use the General tab to change the default colors for components in these areas: 3DViews, User Defined, Ghosts, Heads Up Display, Animation, Animation Editors,Multilister, Hypergraph / Hypershade, Outliner, and Trax Editor.

Active tab Use the Active tab to change the default colors for components in these areas:General, Objects, Components, Deformers, Manipulators, Animation, and ArtisanBrushes.

Note

If you enable or disable a module, you must exit Maya and restart thesoftware for the changes to take effect.

Tips

Use lighter colors for active components and darker colors for inactivecomponents.

If you have made changes to the color settings for a tool and want torestore the original settings, select Edit > Reset to Defaults in the Colorswindow.

SETTING PREFERENCES | 12Changing color settings


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Inactive tab Use the Inactive tab to set the colors for objects that are not selected. The Inactive tablets you change the default colors in the following areas or tools: General, Modeling,Objects, Components, Deformers, and Animation.

To change a default color:

1 Open the Color window (Window > Settings/Preferences > Colors) and click theappropriate tab (General, Active, or Inactive).

2 Expand the component type for the item you want to change.

3 Click on a component’s color to open the Color Chooser.

or

In the Active or Inactive tab, click on a component to select it. Maya matches theexisting color to one that most closely resembles it on the Index Palette. Double-clickthe corresponding color on the Index Palette to open the Color Chooser.

4 Select the color in the Color Chooser. See "Using the Color Chooser" on page 233.

5 Click Save.

Click here todisplay theColor Chooser

Click here... ...then double-click here


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SETTING PREFERENCES | 12Specifying tool settings

SPECIFYING TOOL SETTINGS

Tool settings determine how a tool behaves. For example, if you are using the EPCurve Tool, you can specify whether the knot spacing is uniform or chord length.

To change a tool’s settings:

1 Do one of the following to open the Tool Settings window:

Click the Show or hide Tool Settings button on the Status Line.

or

If the tool is represented by an icon in the Tool Box, double-click it.

or

If the tool is in a menu, select the option box (❐) located beside the tool.

or

Select the tool and then select Window > Settings/Preferences > Tool Settings.

2 Make the desired changes and click Close.

To return to a tool’s default settings:

In the Tool Settings window, click Reset Tool.

Duplicating a toolUsing shelves, you can have two tools with the same name but different toolsettings. For example, you can have two versions of the Particle Tool. See "To add atool from the Tool Box:" on page 342.

Note

You can change the color value in the Colors window by dragging theslider beside the component color.

SETTING PREFERENCES | 12Specifying performance settings


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SPECIFYING PERFORMANCE SETTINGS

You use the Performance Settings window to set when you want to refresh thescreen when manipulating objects and to control complex operations, such asstitching and deformation. You can use the performance settings to suspend thesecomplex operations during mouse interaction or to completely disable them. Thisimproves performance by reducing the amount of evaluation necessary duringinteraction and playback.

To specify performance settings:

Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Performance Settings. The PerformanceSettings window opens.

Selecting screen refresh options

To set when to refresh (or redraw the screen) when manipulating objects, in theDependency Graph Evaluation section, select one of the following:

Drag Refreshes the display during the drag.

Demand Refreshes the display only when you release the mouse button and click the Refreshbutton that appears in the bottom right of the display window.

Release Refreshes the display only when you release the mouse button.

Controlling complex operations on surfaces

To control complex operations on surfaces during mouse interaction, in the Surfacessection, select one of the following beside the surface:

On Performs complex operations during mouse interactions.

Off Completely disables complex operations during mouse interaction.

Interactive Suspends complex operations during mouse interaction.


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SETTING PREFERENCES | 12Loading and unloading plug-ins

Controlling complex operations on deformers

To control complex operations on deformers during mouse interaction, in theDeformers section, select one of the following beside the surface:

On Performs complex operations during mouse interactions.

Off Completely disables complex operations during mouse interaction.

Interactive Suspends complex operations during mouse interaction.

Per Node For Cluster Resolution and Lattice Resolution only, improves redraw performancefor individual cluster or lattice deformations by setting the Use Partial Resolutionattribute to partial and setting the Percent Resolution on a per node basis. For details,see Using Maya: Character Setup.

Global For Cluster Resolution and Lattice Resolution only, improves the redrawperformance of all cluster or lattice deformations. (You do not need to set the PercentResolution for each cluster or lattice.)

Set Global Cluster Resolution and Global Lattice Resolution to Full, High, Medium,or Low. A Low setting corresponds to a low percentage, and therefore moreimproved performance.

For more information on surfaces, see Using Maya: NURBS Modeling and UsingMaya: Polygonal Modeling. For more information on deformers, see Using Maya:Character Setup.

LOADING AND UNLOADING PLUG-INS

A plug-in is an add-on module that extends Maya’s capabilities. File translators areplug-ins you use to import and export various file formats. You can create orpurchase specialty plug-ins to customize Maya for a specific job.

Some features that can be added through plug-ins are:

• file translators

• tools

• objects (nodes)

• MEL commands

• device drivers

The Plug-in Manager identifies which plug-ins are loaded into Maya. If you have aplug-in that you use frequently, you can make sure it is always there. The Plug-inManager automatically scans all the directories in the plug-in path and lists availableplug-in features.

Loading plug-insYou can manually load plug-ins each time you run Maya, or you can have them loadautomatically when you start Maya.



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To load a plug-in:

Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Plug-in Manager. The Plug-in Managerwindow opens.

Selecting loading options

Turn on or off the appropriate option beside the plug-in.

loaded Turn on loaded to load the plug-in for the current Maya session.

auto load Turn on auto load to load the plug-in so that the next time you start Maya the plug-in loads automatically.

Displaying plug-in informationTo view information about a particular plug-in, you must first load it, then click the ibutton beside the plug-in.

Click here to loadthe plug-in

Click here to enablethe auto load feature


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Maya displays the following information for a selected plug-in:

Name The name of the plug-in. On UNIX, plug-ins have the extension .so. On Windows,they have the extension .mll.

Path The location of the file. On UNIX, the default plug-in location is /usr/aw/maya4.0/bin/plug-ins. On Windows, the default plug-in location isdrive:\aw\maya4.0\bin\plug-ins.

Vendor The manufacturer of the plug-in.

Plug-in Version The version number of the plug-in.

For API Version The version of the Maya API (Application Programmer Interface) the plug-in wascompiled for.

Auto Load Indicates whether the plug-in has been marked for auto load.

Is Loaded Indicates whether the plug-in is loaded.

Plug-in Features Displays a list of the features added by the plug-in (for example, commands,dependency nodes, file translators).

To display additional plug-ins, click the triangle to open the Other Registered Plug-ins section.

Unloading a plug-inYou can unload a plug-in when you finish with it. To unload a plug-in, turn off theloaded check box next to it.

Note

You cannot load a plug-in for any version of Maya that predates theversion it was compiled for.

Click here to displayinformation on the plug-in



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If you are developing a plug-in, unload it so the source code can be changed, theplug-in recompiled, and then reloaded.

Removing references to the plug-in

Before you can unload a plug-in, you must first remove all references to it from theMaya scene. Otherwise, Maya converts the plug-in nodes to unknown nodes. Forexample, if you load a shader plug-in and then unload that same shader plug-inwithout first removing the special shader node and all of its references in the scene,Maya will display an error message the next time you open that scene.

If you try to unload a plug-in while it is in use, a warning message will display. Youcan then cancel the unload or force it.

If you force the unload of a plug-in while it is in use, you cannot reload that plug-in’s node. Maya converts the existing nodes to unknown nodes. When you reloadplug-ins, you cannot change the type of these existing unknown nodes.


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13 CUSTOMIZING SHELVES,MARKING MENUS, ANDHOTKEYS

This chapter provides detailed information about Maya’s shelves, marking menus,and hotkeys. This information is for advanced users.

Shelves are user-customizable areas to hold the actions and tools you use most often.Marking menus are an innovative way of selecting various menu items with the rightmouse button. Hotkeys are keyboard shortcuts for commands.

CREATING AND EDITING SHELVES

You use shelves to put all the tools or action icons you use in one place. You can dragtools, options, and actions onto a shelf from the Tool Box, a menu, or the ScriptEditor.

From the Maya main window, you can perform the following tasks:

• add shelf items (see "Adding shelf items" on page 342)

• remove shelf items (see "Removing shelf items" on page 344)

• move and copy shelf items (see "Moving and copying shelf items" on page 344)

You can use the Shelves window to:

• create and delete shelves (see "Creating and deleting shelves" on page 341 and"Reordering the shelves" on page 345)

• change shelf icons (see "Changing shelf icons" on page 345)

• change icon labels (see "Changing icon labels" on page 347)

• add overlay labels (see "Setting Shelf options" on page 348)

• change MEL commands associated with an icon (see "Changing MEL command(s)associated with an icon" on page 349)

To open the Shelves window:

Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Shelves.


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CUSTOMIZING SHELVES, MARKING MENUS, AND HOTKEYS | 13Creating and editing shelves

Shelves Click the Shelves tab to display existing shelves. From here you can create, delete,and rename shelves and change their order. For details, see "Creating and deletingshelves" on page 341 and "Reordering the shelves" on page 345.

Shelf Contents Click the Shelf Contents tab to display the contents of a specific shelf. From here youcan move and delete shelf items, change an item’s label and tooltip, as well aschange its icon and icon name. For details, see "Changing shelf icons" on page 345,"Changing icon labels" on page 347, and "Setting Shelf options" on page 348.

Edit Commands Click the Edit Commands tab to view and edit the MEL code associated with a toolor action. For details, see "Changing MEL command(s) associated with an icon" onpage 349.

Label & Tooltips Specify a brief description of the tool. This description appears with the icon in theicon or text modes, as well as in the tooltip (the pop-up description when the mousehovers over the icon). For details, see "Changing icon labels" on page 347. (Where itappears is determined by Options menu settings. For details, see "Setting Shelfoptions" on page 348).

Icon Name Type a label for the icon. This text appears on top of the icon to distinguish it fromother items that use the same icon. Note that the icon name always appears on top ofthe icon, unlike the label, which you can specify to show or hide.

Change Image Click this button to change the icon image. For details, see "Changing shelf icons" onpage 345.

Save AllShelves Click Save All Shelves to save all changes immediately and write the information to

the user shelves directory. The file name for a shelf file has the prefix shelf_.

Close Click Close to accept your changes but not write them to the disk immediately. Ifyour UI preference is to save shelf changes only when explicitly requested, thechanges will stay in effect only for the current session. Otherwise your changes willbe saved the next time you save a file or quit the application. For information onchanging this preference, see "Setting Shelf options" on page 348.



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Creating and deleting shelvesIn addition to using the default shelves, you can create custom shelves. Use customshelves to group common or frequently used tools, menu commands, or MELcommands for easy access.

To create a shelf:

1 Open the Shelves window (Window > Settings/Preferences > Shelves) and click theShelves tab. Maya displays the names of all existing shelves.

2 Click New Shelf. Maya displays a default name for the new shelf in the Name textbox and adds a new shelf tab in the main Maya window.

3 Double-click the name in the Name text box, type the new shelf name (for example,Kinematics) and then press Enter. Maya adds the name of the new shelf to the Shelveswindow and the Maya window.

4 Click Save All Shelves.

Default namefor new shelf

Name of thenew shelf


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To delete a shelf:

1 Open the Shelves window (Window > Settings/Preferences > Shelves) and click theShelves tab. Maya displays the names of all existing shelves.

2 Select the shelf you want to delete, then click Delete Shelf. (You do not have to deleteany of the associated icons before deleting the shelf.)

You are prompted to confirm the deletion.

3 Click OK. Maya removes the shelf from the list of existing shelves and from theMaya window.

Adding shelf itemsYou can add menu commands, MEL commands, and tools to shelves from the ToolBox, a menu, or the Script Editor.

You can also save multiple versions of the same tool to the shelf with differentsettings. For example, add a Sculpt Surfaces Tool with the Push option selected andanother Sculpt Surfaces Tool with the Pull operation selected.

To add a tool from the Tool Box:

Using the middle mouse button, drag the tool to the shelf.

Note

The shelf tabs must be turned on to see them. In the main Maya window,click the Shelf pull-down menu and select Shelf Tabs to turn them on.

Note

You cannot undo a delete command. However, Maya retains the shelfinformation in the file shelf_NAME.mel.deleted in the user shelvesdirectory:

~username/maya/4.0/prefs/shelves (UNIX)drive:\WINNT\Profiles\username\maya\4.0\prefs\shelves (Windows NT)drive:\My Documents\username\maya\4.0\shelves (Windows 2000)

So if you want to restore a deleted shelf, rename the file toshelf_NAME.mel, then restart Maya.



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This creates an editable tool on the shelf. If you select this tool from the shelf andchange any settings in the Tool Settings window, the settings for the shelf item alsochange. These new settings become the default for the shelf tool.

To add a menu item to a shelf:

Press Ctrl-Shift-Alt (UNIX), Ctrl-Shift (Windows), then select the item from theappropriate menu. Maya places the item on the shelf. This adds the base tool to theshelf. Any changes you make to the tool settings will be reflected in the shelf toolalso.

To add a MEL command to a shelf from the Script Editor:

1 In the Script Editor (Window > General Editors > Script Editor), highlight the MELcommand text that you want to add to a shelf.

2 Using the middle mouse button, drag the selected text to the shelf and release. Thisplaces a MEL icon on the shelf. When you click the icon, Maya runs the command(s).

For example:

1 Open the Script Editor window (Window > General Editors > Script Editor).

2 Select Create > NURBS Primitives > Sphere. A sphere appears at the origin.

3 Select the Move Tool and drag a manipulator arrow to move the sphere.

The MEL command move -r 5.315 0 0; ( with your own coordinates), appears in theupper pane of the Script Editor.

4 Highlight the MEL command text in the upper pane of the Script Editor.

5 Using the middle mouse button, drag the selected text to the shelf and release. Thisplaces a MEL icon on the shelf. When clicked, the icon executes the move -r 5.315 0 0;command again.


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Removing shelf itemsThere are two ways you can delete a shelf item. You can use the middle mousebutton to drag items to the garbage can directly on the shelf or you can use theShelves window.

To remove a shelf item directly from a shelf.

Use the middle mouse button to drag the icon to the garbage can.

Maya removes the icon from the shelf.

To remove a shelf item using the Shelves window:

1 Open the Shelves window (Window > Settings/Preferences > Shelves).

2 Click the Shelves tab, then select the shelf containing the tool or action you want todelete. The selected shelf becomes active in the main Maya window.

3 Click the Shelf Contents tab.

4 Select the description of the icon you want to delete, then click Delete Item. Mayaremoves the icon from the shelf.

5 Click Save All Shelves or Close.

Moving and copying shelf itemsYou can move shelf items to change the order they appear and you can move shelfitems between shelf tabs.

You can also copy shelf items. For example, you can add the same tool to a shelfmore than once, but with different settings. The original tool must have been addedto the shelf from the Tool Box (see "To add a tool from the Tool Box:" on page 342).

To change the order of shelf items:

• On the shelf, use the middle mouse button to drag the icon to the desired position.

or

1 Open the Shelves window (Window > Settings/Preferences > Shelves) and click theShelf Contents tab.

2 Select the item you want to move and click Move Up or Move Down until the itemappears where you want it to appear.


To move an item between shelves.

1 Use the middle mouse button to drag the icon onto the other shelf tab. The icon isremoved from the current shelf.

2 Click the shelf tab on which you dropped the icon. The icon is visible on the newshelf.



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To copy an existing item on the shelf:

Press the Ctrl key and use the middle mouse button to drag the icon to its newposition. A copy of the icon appears on the shelf.

Renaming shelvesYou can change the name of a shelf at any time to something more meaningful (forexample, from ShelfLayout1 to Dynamics).

To rename a shelf:

1 Open the Shelves window (Window > Settings/Preferences > Shelves) and click theShelves tab.

2 Select the shelf you want to rename. Maya displays the name of the selected shelf inthe Name text box.

3 In the Name text box, change the name and then press Enter. Maya displays the newname in the list of existing shelves and in the Maya window.

You cannot use spaces or special characters (for example, !,@,#,$,%) in shelf names.


Reordering the shelvesYou can reorder the shelves that you use frequently. This is especially helpful if youhave more shelves than Maya can display at once.

To reorder the shelves:

1 Open the Shelves window (Window > Settings/Preferences > Shelves) and click theShelves tab. Maya displays all available shelves in the order they appear in the Mayawindow.

2 Select the shelf you want to move, then click the Move Up or Move Down buttonuntil the selected shelf appears where you want it to appear.


Changing shelf iconsOn UNIX, Maya uses xpm (UNIX) images for the shelf button icons. Maya Windowsuses bitmap (bmp) images and xpm images. You can assign a new image to a shelfbutton to more accurately reflect the button’s function. If you want to use an icondesign other than the Maya default image, you must create your own image file. Youcannot modify Maya’s default shelf button icons.

To create a new icon image:

Use any available 2D image program to create new image files. The image file sizemust be 32 x 32 pixels to fit within the shelf button. Typically, you place the image inyour user icons directory:

~username/maya/4.0/prefs/icons (UNIX)drive:\WINNT\Profiles\username\maya\4.0\prefs\icons (Windows NT)drive:\My Documents\username\maya\4.0\prefs\icons (Windows 2000)

If you use a different directory, you should specify it in the XBMLANGPATHenvironment variable. See Chapter 8, “Setting Environment Variables.”


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To change an icon’s image:


2 Select the shelf containing the tool you want to change.

3 Click the Shelf Contents tab.

4 Select the description of the shelf item you want to change, then click the ChangeImage button. A file browser window opens with the images directory selected.

On UNIX, the browser is called the Pixmap Selector. The browser defaults to /usr/aw/maya4.0/icons, the location of Maya’s default icons.

On Windows, the default icons are stored in drive:\AW\Maya4.0\extras\icons.

5 Select a Maya default image or navigate to a new user-created image (it must havethe file extension .xpm or .bmp).

6 On UNIX, click Apply to see your change in the main Maya window without closingthe Pixmap Selector. Click Done to apply your change and close the Pixmap Selector.

On Windows, click Open.


Note

Maya stores the image as a reference file. If you move it, you must specifythe new location by using the Shelves editor or by setting theXBMLANGPATH variable.

Description of icon

Icon image



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Changing icon labelsYou can change the label of a tool or action icon if you:

• Want to make it more indicative of the function it performs.

• Have changed the options and want to change the name to reflect changes.

For example, if you modify a copy of the sphere action so that it now creates ahemisphere, you can change both the label and icon to reflect this change.

To change an icon’s label:


2 Select the shelf that contains the icon you want. The selected shelf becomes active inthe main Maya window.

3 Click the Shelf Contents tab, then click the name of the icon you want to relabel.

4 Enter the new label for the icon in the Label & Tooltips text box and then press Enter.

Maya changes the tool label in the Shelves window and on the shelf in the mainMaya window.

Note

On UNIX, you can modify existing images and create new ones from thePixmap Selector.

To modify an existing image (but not a Maya default shelf button icon),select it and click the Modify button to launch the xpaint application. Makeyour changes and save them.

To create a new image, click the New button, type a name for the new file,then click OK to create a blank image in the icons directory. Select the newimage and modify it.

New label for theSphere action


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When you move the cursor over the icon, Maya displays the new label on the HelpLine and in the pop-up help.

Setting Shelf optionsUse the Options menu in the Shelves window to specify the appearance of the shelflabels and to specify when to save the shelf changes.

Icon Only Displays only the icon. This is the default.

Icon/TextBelow Displays the label below the icon.

Icon/TextBeside Displays the label beside the icon.

SaveAutomatically When this option is on, your changes to the shelves are saved when you exit Maya.

This is the default.

Save Only onRequest When this option is on, your changes to the shelves are only saved when you select

Save All Shelves in the Shelves window. If you don’t save your changes, then theyare lost when you exit Maya.

Note

To show or hide the label for the tool, see "Setting Shelf options" on page348.



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Adding icon namesMaya uses families of icons to represent related tools and actions.

You can create an icon name to distinguish individual icons. For example, if youhave several MEL command icons on your shelf, they all look the same because theyall use the same default icon. You can use overlay labels to distinguish between theseMEL buttons as shown in this illustration.

You use the Shelves window to assign an icon name to a tool or action.

To assign an icon name to an icon:


2 Select the shelf containing the tool you want to rename. The selected shelf becomesactive in the main Maya window.

3 Click the Shelf Contents tab, then select the tool you want to rename.

4 Enter the name in the Icon Name text box and then press Enter. Maya adds an iconname on top of the tool in the shelf.


Changing MEL command(s) associated with an iconAll actions on the shelf consist of a single or series of MEL commands. You canchange these commands to change the behavior of the action.

In the following example, we modify the MEL code for a move command to changethe action’s behavior.

To modify an action’s MEL code:


2 Select the shelf containing the item you want to edit. The selected shelf becomesactive in the main Maya window.

3 Click the Shelf Contents tab and select the item you want to edit.

Icon name on a MELcommand icon


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4 Click the Edit Commands tab. The commands for the shelf item appear in the textarea.

5 Make any necessary changes to the commands.

6 Press Enter on the keyboard. When you click the icon for this action, the revisedcommands will run.


CUSTOMIZING SHELVES, MARKING MENUS, AND HOTKEYS | 13Creating and editing marking menus


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CREATING AND EDITING MARKING MENUS

Marking menus let you quickly access various tools and actions. You can customizea marking menu’s format and content.

A marking menu has a radial portion and an overflow portion.

The radial portion consists of one to eight menu items arranged in a circle.

Each menu item represents a command you have added to that marking menu. Youcan use the Marking Menus window to add, change, or delete a menu item orcommand. For more information on using the Marking Menus window, see"Modifying existing marking menus" on page 355.

The overflow portion (or linear portion) has one or more menu items. The overflowitems are arranged in a column below the radial items.

Marking menus can be hierarchal. In other words, any menu item can have asubmenu.

You can use the Marking Menus window to:

• create marking menus (see "Creating marking menus" on page 352)

• attach a marking menu to a hotkey (see "Assigning marking menus to hotkeys" onpage 355)

• modify existing marking menus (see "Modifying existing marking menus" on page355)

• add submenus to marking menu items (see "Adding submenus to menu items" onpage 358)

• add MEL scripts to marking menus (see "Associating a MEL script with a menuitem" on page 359)

• delete marking menus (see "Deleting marking menus" on page 360)

To display the Marking Menus window:

Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Marking Menus.

Note

Each menu and submenu can contain a maximum of 38 menu items.


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Creating marking menusYou can modify the default marking menus or use the Marking Menus window tocreate new marking menus.

You can add the following items to marking menus:

• text from the Script Editor

• tool icons and action icons from a shelf

• the Select, Lasso, Translate, Rotate, Scale, and Show Manipulator icons in the ToolBox

You can associate your marking menu with a zone or mouse button in the Hotbox,or a specific hotkey to the marking menu.

The Hotbox can support a different menu for each mouse button in each of theHotbox’s five zones. You can create three menus per zone, for a total of 15 markingmenus (3 menus x 5 zones) with eight commands per marking menu. This gives youapproximately 120 total commands (3 menus x 5 zones x 8 commands).

To create a marking menu:

1 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Marking Menus. The Marking Menuswindow opens.

2 Click Create Marking Menu. The Create Marking Menu window opens.

Marking menu defaults Zone Associated mouse buttons



353

3 Use the middle mouse button to drag tools or actions to the Create Marking Menuwindow.

For example, to add the Pencil Curve Tool, select Create > Pencil Curve Tool. Thetool displays in the Tool Box. Using the middle mouse button, drag the Pencil CurveTool from the Tool Box to the Create Marking Menu window.

4 Repeat step 3 for any additional tools.

Note

You can also add MEL commands to the Marking Menus window. Fordetails, see "Associating a MEL script with a menu item" on page 359.

Enter name of themarking menu

Place tool or actionicons here


354


5 Enter the name of the new menu in the Menu Name text box.

6 To move a tool’s position, use the middle mouse button to drag the icon to a newposition within the Create Marking Menu window.

7 When you are satisfied with the position of every tool in the marking menu, clickSave and then close the Create Marking Menu window.

8 Set the following options in the Marking Menu window and click Apply Settings,then Close.

Use Marking Menu in

Specify whether the marking menu is linked to the Hotbox or a hotkey. Forinformation on linking a marking menu to a hotkey, see "Assigning marking menusto hotkeys" on page 355.

Hotbox Region If you selected Hotbox for Use Marking Menu in, select the Hotbox zone themarking menu occupies: North, South, East, West, or Center.

MouseButton(s) Select the left, middle, or right mouse button used to display the marking menu. You

can select one, two, or three mouse buttons.

Tips

To delete an icon from the Create Marking Menu window, right-click theicon and select Delete Menu Item.

To create a submenu, see "Adding submenus to menu items" on page 358.This is useful if you want to increase the number of menu items you canaccess from a marking menu.

Tip

If a tool has an option box, you can make changes to the options.

Click here to changethe tool’s options



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Assigning marking menus to hotkeysIn addition to adding or customizing marking menus in the Hotbox, you can assigna marking menu to a specific hotkey. Each time you press the hotkey and the leftmouse button, the associated marking menu appears. For example, the q key isassociated with the Select marking menu.

You display marking menus by pressing the left mouse button and the appropriatehotkey. The following hotkeys bring up marking menus.

For more information on setting hotkeys, see "Assigning hotkeys" on page 362.

Modifying existing marking menusUse the Edit Marking Menu button in the Marking Menus window to modifyexisting marking menus. You can add, edit, or delete individual menu items in amarking menu.

You can also add submenus to add more tools and actions to a marking menu. Fordetails, see "Adding submenus to menu items" on page 358.

Each icon in the Edit Marking Menu window corresponds to a menu item in amarking menu.

For information on adding menu items to an existing marking menu, see "Creatingmarking menus" on page 352.

Note

A marking menu/hotkey combination will not work in a tear-off window.

Hotkey Action on Marking Menu

a Select All History, Disable All Future, Select All Future, andEnable All Future

d High, Medium, and Low Quality Display

e Rotate X, Y, and Z

h Modeling, Animation, Dynamics, Rendering

q Select Mask (see previous illustration)

r Scale X, Y, Z and Scale XYZ

w Translate X, Y, Z and Translate XYZ


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To delete a menu item:

1 Open the Marking Menus window (Window > Settings/Preferences > MarkingMenus).

2 Select an existing marking menu.

3 Click Edit Marking Menu. The Edit Marking Menu window appears with each iconcorresponding to a menu item.

4 Right-click the menu icon you want to delete and select Delete Menu Item from thepop-up menu.

5 Select Save and then Close.

To edit a menu item:

1 Open the Edit Marking Menu window.

2 Right-click the menu icon you want to edit and select Edit Menu Item from the pop-up menu.

The Edit window appears that is according to the position of the icon (for example,Edit North, Edit North East, Edit East, Edit South East, Edit South, etc.).



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3 Set the following options and then click Save and Close.

Label Enter the name of the marking menu item.

Icon Filename Enter the name of the icon file. For more information, see Using Maya: MEL.

Command(s) Enter the MEL script used as the command for the menu item. You can drag theMEL script from the Script Editor’s bottom panel with the middle mouse button.

Check Box Displays a check box beside the marking menu item.

Radio Button Displays a check box beside the marking menu item.

Neither Displays nothing beside the marking menu item.

Option Box Turn Option Box on to display the option box ❐ beside the menu item so you canchange a tool’s options from the marking menu.

Option Box Command(s)

Enter the MEL script to use as the command for the menu item’s option box.

Note

If the tool or action does not have an options window, you must use MELcode to create the box. Once the box is created, you must write MEL codeto invoke the option window. For more information on MEL commands,see Using Maya: MEL.


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Adding submenus to menu itemsLike the main pull-down menus, menu items in a marking menu can havesubmenus. These submenus let you add extra tools and actions to a marking menu.

In the following example, there are four menu items associated with one submenu.

Adding a submenu:

In the following example, a submenu is associated with an icon.


2 Select the marking menu that has the menu item you want to add a submenu to.

3 Click Edit Marking Menu.

4 Right-click the icon you want to add a submenu to and select Popup Submenu fromthe pop-up menu. The icon changes shape indicating that a submenu is associatedwith it and the Submenu Editor window opens.

Note

If you create submenus under an overflow menu item, the submenuscannot contain any radial items.



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5 Using the middle mouse button, drag tools or actions to the Submenu Editor.

6 Close the Submenu Editor window.

7 To test the submenu, click in the Click Here to Test box.

8 Click Save or Close.

Associating a MEL script with a menu itemIf you have written a script to perform a particular task, you can associate it with amenu item in a marking menu. In the following example a MEL script is added to anexisting marking menu.

To associate a script with an menu item:


2 Select the marking menu that has the menu item you want to add a submenu to andclick Edit Marking Menu.

or

Click Create Marking Menu to create a new marking menu. For more information,see "Creating marking menus" on page 352.

3 Open the Script Editor (Window > General Editors > Script Editor).

4 With the left mouse button, highlight the MEL script you want to associate with amarking menu.

5 Using the middle mouse button, drag the the highlighted text to the marking menu’smenu item in the Edit or Create Marking Menu window.

6 Right-click the new MEL icon and select Edit Menu Item.

7 Add a label for the menu item. For details, see "Modifying existing marking menus"on page 355.

8 Click Save and then close the Marking Menus window.

Menu item iconchanges to this


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Deleting marking menusYou can use the Marking Menus window to delete marking menus. When you deletea marking menu you can create a backup file which allows you to restore the menu.

To delete a marking menu:


2 Select the marking menu, then click Delete Marking Menu. The following dialog boxappears.

3 If you want to delete the marking menu but keep a backup copy of it, select CreateBackup.

Maya stores the backup file in the user prefs directory with a file extension of .bak.For information on how to recover the marking menu, see "To restore a markingmenu backup:" on page 360.

or

If you want to delete the marking menu without creating a backup file, click Do NotBackup.

Maya removes the marking menu from the Marking Menus window.

4 Click Close.

To restore a marking menu backup:

1 Rename the marking menu backup file menu_MenuName.mel.bak tomenu_MenuName.mel.

2 Restart your system.

Note

You cannot recover a marking menu after you select Do Not Backup.

Note

You must exit Maya before restoring a deleted marking menu.



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3 Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Marking Menus. The following messageappears.

4 Click Load Menus. The recovered marking menu appears in the Marking Menuwindow.

Note

Because Maya does not recover the mouse button assignment, you willhave to re-assign a mouse button to the recovered marking menu.


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CUSTOMIZING SHELVES, MARKING MENUS, AND HOTKEYS | 13Assigning hotkeys

ASSIGNING HOTKEYS

If you use a selection frequently, you may want to assign it to a hotkey. For example,if you frequently select File > Import, you can assign a hotkey to it. This decreasesyour reliance on the main menu.

You assign hotkeys in the Hotkey Editor (Window > Settings/Preferences >Hotkeys) window. It lists menu items in the main menus, as well as commonly-usedoperations, such as Display Wireframe (hotkey 4). Also, you can assign hotkeys toyour own MEL scripts or to commands that accompany plug-in software.

Hotkeys on menu labelsWhen you assign a hotkey to a menu item, the change appears on the main menulabel. (This feature does not apply to menu labels in the hotbox.)

...assign thehotkey here

Select acommandhere...

You can adda customcommandhere so youcan assign ita hotkey

Hotkeys shownbeside menuselections



363

How hotkeys are savedMaya saves your custom hotkey preferences so that they do not interfere with thedefault Maya hotkey settings. Your preferences will not be overwritten when youupgrade to the next Maya version.

The file names containing hotkey preferences are userHotkeys.mel anduserNamedCommands.mel under user prefs directory:

~username/maya/4.0/prefs (UNIX)drive:\WINNT\Profiles\username\maya\4.0\prefs (Windows NT)drive:\My Documents\username\maya\4.0\prefs (Windows 2000)

Assigning hotkeys to standard commandsUse the top half of the Hotkey Editor to assign hotkeys to a menu selection orstandard command. To help you choose hotkeys, you can also view a list of mappedand unmapped keys.

To assign a hotkey:

1 Choose Window > Settings/Preferences > Hotkeys.

2 Select the category and command.

There are categories for all of the main menus and for several other commands.Menu commands for plug-ins, including Live and Fur, are under the User category.If you have trouble finding a command, click Search (see "Example—creating ahotkey for a view menu option:" on page 365).

3 In the Assign New Hotkey area, specify the key combination and other settings. Youcan see a list of which keys are unmapped by clicking List All.

Key Enter the key you want to assign to the selected command. Enter aletter from A to Z (upper and lower case are different keys) or anumber from 0 to 9. You cannot use more than one letter ornumber.

Or, choose a special key from the pull-down list. For example, ifyou want the right arrow key to act as the trigger, assign it here.

Modifier Select either Alt or Ctrl for the hotkey modifier.

Direction Use Press or Release to associate a command with the press or arelease of a key. For example, you can create a hotkey to instructMaya to snap to a curve when you press a key, then turn off thesnapping when you release it.

If you added a key to an operation ending with (Press) or(Release), add the same key to the corresponding (Release) or(Press) operation.

Add to RecentCommand List Turn on so that this hotkey can appear in the Edit > Recent

Commands window.

Query Click Query to determine whether the specified key settings havealready been assigned to a command.


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Find Click Find to highlight the category and command for the key youenter in the Key field.

4 Click Assign. The new hotkey appears in the Current Hotkeys list.

Viewing hotkey listsClick List All to view a list of mapped and unmapped keys. This opens the ListHotkeys window that allows you to sort the keys in various ways.

To print the hotkeys list to a file, click Save to File and specify a destinationdirectory.

No Modifiers Lists only single hotkeys, without Ctrl or Alt.

Ctrl Lists only hotkeys with a Ctrl + key combination.

Alt Lists only hotkeys with an Alt + key combination.

List All Lists all hotkeys.

Ignore Release Turn on to ignore the hotkeys that activate when you release the key, versus whenyou press the key. Turn off to see all hotkeys, including the ones activated when yourelease the key.

Searching for commandsClick the Search button at the bottom of the Hotkey Editor to perform a searchthrough all existing commands. For example, you may want to perform a search ifyou know part of a command name, but not the category. Or, if you are adding anew command, you can first search for commands that are related.

In the Search for Command window, you type a case-sensitive string and pressEnter. The program searches for that string in the command names and commandsyntax. You can use * to represent any character or characters. You can also usebrackets to enclose both capital and lower-case letters, such as: [aA].



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Changing or deleting a hotkeyIf you want to alter or delete an existing hotkey, select it from the Current Hotkeyslist and click Remove. You can then assign a different hotkey as needed. You cannotrestore a hotkey after you have deleted it; you must reassign it.

Adding commands for hotkey assignmentIf there is a MEL command or script you want to invoke with a hotkey, you can addthat command and then assign it a hotkey. This capability is also useful for assigninghotkeys to the selections on the Panel menu bar: View, Shading, Lighting, Show, andPanels (see "Example—creating a hotkey for a view menu option:" on page 365).

To add a new command for hotkey assignment:

1 Click New.

2 Complete the Name and Description.

These fields are for future reference. They only appear in the Hotkey Editor.

3 Select a category from the Category pop-up menu.

4 Enter the MEL command into the Command box.

5 Click Accept.

The command should appear under the chosen category. You can now assign ahotkey to this command.

Example—creating a hotkey for a view menu option:

1 In the Hotkey Editor, click New.

2 Complete the Name, Description, and Category.

For the Command, you will cut and paste from the Script Editor.

3 Open the Script Editor (Window > General Editors > Script Editor).

4 In the Script Editor, select Script > Echo All Commands.

This instructs Maya to display all MEL commands used to execute any menuoptions.

5 In the Panel menu bar, select the menu item you want to create a hotkey for (forexample, Shading > Smooth Shade Selected Items).

6 Select the echoed MEL command from the Script Editor window.

7 Copy and paste the command into the Command box in the Hotkeys window. OnUNIX, use the middle mouse. On Windows, use Ctrl+C (copy) and Ctrl+V (paste).


366


8 Click Accept in the Hotkeys window.

The command appears under the chosen category. You can now assign a hotkey tothis command.


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14 WORKING WITH PANELS ANDLAYOUTS

You can use panels and layouts to customize your workspace. Panels consist ofinterface elements, such as graphs, camera views, editors, and Outliners, that you canview within the main window. Layouts are groups of panels.

USING THE PANEL EDITOR

You use the Panel Editor to assign panels and layouts to your workspace. The PanelEditor also lists the existing layouts and panels.

To display the Panel Editor:

• On the Maya menu bar, select Window > Settings/Preferences > Panels.

or

• On the view menu bar, select Panels > Panel Editor.

You can select the following Panel Editor tabs:

Panels Displays existing panels you can rename or delete. See "Creating and deletingpanels" on page 368 and "Renaming existing panels" on page 368.

New Panel Displays the types of panels that you can create. See "Creating and deleting panels"on page 368.


368

WORKING WITH PANELS AND LAYOUTS | 14Managing panels

Layouts Displays existing panel layouts and can be used to create additional layouts. See"Creating layouts" on page 371.

Edit Layouts Displays the current panel layout for editing. See "Defining layouts" on page 370.

History Displays the history of the panels you used. See "Maintaining layout history" onpage 374.

MANAGING PANELS

A panel is a collection of interface display elements. You can view panels within themain window or tear them off so they exist in a separate window. Panels can consistof a single element, such as a camera view in a Modeling panel, or multipleelements, such as the Multilister with its many buttons and tabs. Panels have theirown menu bars for their specific options.

Renaming existing panelsYou rename existing panels using the Panel Editor.

To rename a panel:

1 Select Panels > Panel Editor.

2 Select the panel you want to rename.

3 Type the new name in the Label text box, then press Enter. Maya changes the nameof the panel in the list of existing panels.

4 To make sure that the renamed panel appears in the list of available panels, selectPanels > Panel.

Creating and deleting panelsSometimes an object or scene is too big to fit in a window. When this happens, youmay want to create a second panel.

For example, if you created a skeleton and wanted to use the Outliner to look at twodifferent parts of the object at the same time, you could create a second Outliner.Since the Outliner cannot display all of the nodes of the skeleton, you could use thesecond Outliner to view different parts of the object.

Note

You cannot rename the Top, Side, Front, or Persp view panels.

WORKING WITH PANELS AND LAYOUTS | 14Managing panels


369

To create a new panel:

1 Select Panels > Panel Editor and click the New Panel tab.

2 If you have more than one view open, select the view where you want the new panelto appear.

3 Select a panel (such as the Outliner), then click Make New Panel. Maya creates a newpanel and lists it before the selected view. The name of the new panel appears in thePanels tab.

4 To view a second Outliner, select Windows > Outliner. Both Outliner windows nowappear in the view.

You can now make changes to the Outliners so they display different informationabout the scene.

Note

Not all panels can be duplicated. For example, only one Hypergraph panelis allowed. If you try to create multiple Hypergraph panels, Maya displaysan alert message.


370

WORKING WITH PANELS AND LAYOUTS | 14Defining layouts

To delete a panel:

Once you have deleted a panel, you cannot restore it.


2 On the Panels tab, select the panel you want to delete, then select Delete. Aconfirmation dialog appears.

3 To confirm the deletion, click OK. Maya removes the panel from the display.

DEFINING LAYOUTS

You often work with the same combinations of panels, depending on the task youare working on. When you render, you might want to work with the Multilister,RenderView and a perspective view. When you edit models, you might use theOutliner and a perspective view. Panel layouts provide these kinds ofconfigurations.

A number of predefined layouts are provided in Maya, but you can also create yourown.

Selecting panel layoutsThere are three ways to select panel layouts:

• from the Quick Layout buttons in the Tool Box

• from the main Maya window

• from a view panel

• from the Panel Editor

To select a panel layout from the Tool Box:

Click the desired Quick Layout button in the Tool Box.

To select a panel layout from the main Maya window:

On the main Maya menu bar, select Window > Saved Layouts, then select the layoutyou want to use.

To select a panel layout from a view panel:

On the Panel menu bar, select Panels > Saved Layouts, then select the layout youwant to use.

To select a panel layout from the Panel Editor.

1 Select Panels > Panel Editor and click the Layouts tab.

2 Select one of the layouts.

Selecting any item from the list applies that panel layout to the main window. Try afew of them. Some panels take a moment to load the first time you use them.

3 To return to the original panel layout, select Current Layout from the list.



371

Adding a layout to a shelfAdd a layout to a shelf so you can select it quickly.

To add a layout to a shelf:

1 Select a shelf by clicking the shelf tab.


3 Select the layout, then click Add to Shelf.

To add a name to the layout shelf icon (it displays as a MEL icon), see "To assign anicon name to an icon:" on page 349.

Creating layoutsBy default, any new panel layouts you create are saved with your preference file.This allows you to use them with any of your scene files. You can also create andsave panel layouts that are only available with a specific scene.

To create a layout:


or

Right-click a Quick Layout button in the Tool Box, select Edit Layouts and then clickthe Layouts tab.

2 Select a layout, such as the Four View, and then click New Layout.

3 Rename the layout in the Name text box.

4 Click the Edit Layouts tab.

Maya displays two additional subtabs:

Configurations Use this tab to change the configuration and proportions of thelayout.

Contents Use this tab to change which panels appear in the layout.

5 From the Configuration pull-down menu, select the panel configuration required (inthis example, Four Panes).


372


6 Resize the panes by dragging the borders in the thumbnail view of the layout. Themain window changes to reflect your changes.

7 Click the Contents tab.

8 Select whether you want layout to be scene independent or associated with thescene.

SceneIndependent Scene independent layouts are available for all scenes. Their

contents are defined by panel types.

If you have multiple panels of the same type in a scene, it is notcertain which panels show up when you select your layout. This isnot a problem in most cases; however, if you are working in aparticular scene a great deal, then develop layouts that you cansave specifically with that scene.

Associated withScene These layouts are only usable with the current scene. You can

specify a particular panel if you have more than one of the sametype.

Click-drag here to changethe width of the display.

Click-drag here to changethe height of the display

Click here to displayavailable panel types



373

9 From the Select Panel by Type menus, select panels for your panes.

10 Click the Layouts tab and select another layout. The main window changes to showthe selected layout.

11 Select the layout you just created and close the Panels window.

Your new panel layout displays in the main window. Your layout also appears in thePanels > Saved Layouts menu and the Windows > Saved Layouts menu.

To save the current layout:

1 Select Window > Save Current Layout. The Save Panel Arrangement window opens.

2 Type a name for the new layout and click OK. The layout appears in thePanels > Saved Layouts menu and the Windows > Saved Layouts menu.

Deleting layoutsAt some point, you may no longer need layouts you created so you may delete them.

To delete a layout:


2 Click the Layouts tab, select the layout you want to delete and then click Delete. AConfirm dialog appears.

3 Click OK to delete the layout.

4 Close the Panels window.

To remove a layout icon from the shelf:

Use the middle mouse button to drag the icon to the garbage can.

Note

If you want to look through cameras other than the built-in persp, top,front, or side cameras, create another model panel for use in your panellayout. The Top View, Front View, Side View, and Persp View layouts usetheir respective built-in cameras as defaults.

Note

When you delete a layout, you only delete the named panel configuration,not the source panels.


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Maintaining layout historyMaya keeps a record of panel layout changes. This lets you step forward or backthrough each view. This is helpful if you are moving between two layouts andcannot remember their names.

To display panel history:

Select Panels > Panel Editor and click the History tab.

History Depth Specify the number of configurations you want stored in the history.

Wrap History Toggle this on to return you to the first view or the most recent view configurationwhen you reach the end of recorded history.

Clear History Click this button to delete the record of all the panels you have used.

Previous Layout Click this button to browse back through the panel layouts.

Next Layout Click this button to browse forward through the panel layouts.


375

AN

IMA

TIO

N

INDEXNumerics3D Paint Texture Options

Save Scene As Options 167

Aabsolute

path 170values 98, 100

actionsdefined 30redoing 82undoing 82

Add Attributes option, AttributeEditor 227

Add Instance option 80Add to Current Selection brush

option 150Advanced Visualizer file

format 174Affects Active modifier option 326aiff file format 174Alias Wire

exporting file in 189aliasWire format 174Align Objects 144Align Objects option 142aligning

objects, snapping 142vertices 141

All Components Off option 147Angle of view 44Angular units option 322anim file

exporting 191importing 179

animated nodes 266, 280animating

rotation channels 94transitions (of view) 292

animationcontinuous play option 329controls 328curves

exporting 191importing 179using to create falloff 104

key options 325menus 20nodes 68oscillating 329playback options 329preferences button 22

Animation DetailsHeads Up Display 118

animation markershiding 122

Animation Start/End option 328animImportExport plug-in 179,

191aperture 44API, version for plug-ins 335applications, importing files

from 175Apply Current to All option 121Arc Length Tool 112arc lengths

locators 113measuring 112

Array Cloning. See DuplicateOptions window 74

ASCII file 165format 174, 175

Attribute Editor 207, 222arc length locator 113axis display 87breaking connections 232compared to Attribute SpreadSheet 212

custom attributes, adding 227displaying 222distance locators 109linking attributes 232loading attributes into 225locators 106locking attribute values 232mapping textures toattributes 233

node behavior 230opening multiple copies 226parameter locators 111pivot points 85, 86right-click menu options 224rotation order 92setting keys 231

Attribute Spread Sheet 207, 212layout 215names, shortening 213option 208, 212


376

INDEX

attributesadding to Channel Box 238Attribute Editor 225Attribute Spread Sheet 212breakdown keys, setting 245changing multiple values 214,241

Channel Box 237components, displaying inChannel Box 238

compound 253connections, breaking 232, 246custom 227default input and output 285defined 212deleting custom 230displaying 252editing 82, 212, 288editing custom 229editing multiple 208, 212handles 84ignoring when rendering 225keying 216, 231, 244linking 232, 247locking values 232, 246mapping textures to 233relative values, entering 215,242

showing for just one view 115unlocking 232, 247values 186, 213, 240

audio file format 174Auto Key

animation option 325button 22

auto load plug-in option 335Autodesk file format 174Autom Create Rigid Body dynamics

option 323automatic graph layout 274automatically created sets 297auxiliary nodes 262avi file format 175

axeschanging from commandline 88

constraint, snapping 141description 87displaying 87global 87local 87orientation 94restricting object movementto 89

rotation order 94snap 142

Axes option 87azimuth

description 51Azimuth Elevation Tool 51

BBackculling display option 321Backface Culling option 121, 322backfaces

culling, display 322displaying and hiding 126

Background Color attributeEnvironment attributes 57

background imageimporting to scenehierarchy 274

Backspace key 72backup copies of marking

menus 360Based on distance option 102, 103,

104binary file format 174bitmap images for shelf icons 345Blend box 235Bookmark Editor 66bookmarks 66

adding to shelf 67automatic view change 293creating 66, 294deleting 67, 294predefined 66renaming 67, 294returning to 294selecting 67

Boomarks option 67Border Edges option 321Border Width option 321borders

edges 321

Bounding BoxDolly camera setting 50

Bounding Box option 120branches 265

centering in view 292breakdown keys, setting 245breaking parent-child

relationship 256, 271

Ccaching 230CAD system file format 174camera

Center of Interest option 45, 58Camera Aperture 55Camera Attribute Editor 54Camera Names 118

Heads Up Display 118Camera Options 45Camera Properties attributes 45Camera Settings option, View

menu 53Camera Tools option, View

menu 48Camera/Light Manipulator

option 128, 129

INDEX


377

cameras 59aperture 44azimuth 51center of interest 51, 128changing settings 53clipping planes 128creating 44cycling index 128default display of 250, 264displaying 48dollying 50elevation 51field chart 53fill 54film gate 53frustrum 53gate 53hiding 122horizontal 54journal 53looking through 52manipulators 97, 122, 128moving 48orthographic 59oversan 54overview 43perspective 53pitch 51resolution gate 53revolving 49, 51rolling 51safe action 54safe title 54tools 49tracking 49tumbling (NT) 121yaw 51yaw pitch 51zooming 51

categoriesof projects 170

Center of interest 45, 58Center of Interest option 128, 129Center polygon selection

option 327Center zone marking menu 37centering nodes in view 291Change Precision dialog box

Component Editor 212

Channel Box 207, 236adding attributes to 238attribute components 238attribute values, entering 240attributes 237breakdown keys, setting 245breaking connections 246custom attributes, deleting 230custom attributes, editing 229displaying 236Expression Editor,launching 247

format, changing 239history 247history node, selecting 96keys, setting 244linking attributes 247locking attribute values 246manipulators 242name abbreviations 239pop-up menus in 243precision 240values, entering withmouse 243

Channel Controloption 208, 236

channel slider 243channelBox command 240channels

data file format 175defined 212deleting 73material, overriding 322

Channels delete option 73Channels option 186characterPartition 307Check Box option 357check boxes in marking menus 357children 250, 254, 265, 270

breaking relationship 256Clamped animation option 325cleaning up referenced files 184clearing graph display 286Click Box Size 327Click Drag Select modifier

option 326Click Here to Test box 358Clipping Planes option 128Clone. See Duplicate option 74Closest Visible Depth

Depth Type 56clusters 298

sets 302

collapsingnodes 251, 266sets 300

Color Chooser window 233Color Index Mode option

(IRIX) 121Color Material option 322Color Shading option 322color wheel 234colors

changing 330default, changing 330selection 233swapping object 283value 234

Colors customize UI option 330Colors window 330combined transformations 100command line

absolute values 100axis origin, changing 88focus, default 317moving, rotating, or scalingfrom 100

relative values 100Command Shell option 208Command(s) option 357commands

adding to shelf from ScriptEditor 343

adding to shelves 342complex

models, displaying 120scenes, displayperformance 121

Component Editor 209modifying data 210option 208querying data 209updating data 211

Component selection mode 146pivot points, pinning 86

componentsdeleting by type 73editing 209limiting selection 146, 147paint-selecting 148querying data 209selecting using selectionmask 147

selection mode 326compound attributes 253Compressed option 324compression mode 324


378

INDEX

Cone Angle option 129configuring workspace 370connecting

default output to input 282nodes 282

Connection Editorlaunching from dependencygraph 282

option 208connection lines

in dependency graph 278in scene hierarchy 269

connectionsbreaking 232, 246creating default 282direction of 278displaying 269

constraining rotations 92constraint

axis, snapping along 141constraints 186

connections, displaying 269Constraints option 186construction curve 97construction history 186

deleting 155effect on speed 154manipulators 95turning off 154tweaking 154

continuous play option 329controlling node, attributes

connected to 253coordinates

local 43system 41, 42world 42

copyingfiles 176, 180objects 74shelf items 344

Create Display Layer window 132Create Empty Group option 80Create Layer option 132Create Marking Menu option 352Create Multiple Objects option 164Create Partition option 308Create Quick Select Set 304Create Reference option 175, 181Create Render Node window

launching 289Create Set option 303Create Set Options window 309

creatingnew materials, textures, orlights 289

new projects 171projects 169scene file 161

culling, backface 322current

project, editing 172Curve Divisions option 321curve on surface

creating 156snapping to 141

curvesarc lengths, measuring 112constraining on surface 91construction 97input 97interpolated, settingtolerance 323

isoparm, snapping to 141modification falloff 104new, display options 321NURBS 105on surface, moving 91on surface, snapping to 139, 141parameter range 97parameter values,displaying 110

smoothness, controlling 321snapping to 139, 140

custom attributes, deleting 230custom attributes, editing 229Custom Polygon Display 127CVs

displaying on new curves orsurfaces 321

modifying proportionally 101moving 89paint-selecting 148selecting 148, 149transformingproportionally 101

CVs, hiding 122Cycling Index option 128, 129

DDAG nodes, instancing 77Data Transfer File Locations 170Decay Regions option 129

defaultinput and output attributes 285layer 134nodes, importing 175

Default File Extensions option 186,191

Default Home option 59Default In/Out Tangent animation

options 325Default Object manipulator 98Default Object Manipulator

option 98defaultLayer 300defaultLightSet 300defaultObjectSet 300Deferred References 163deformers

adjusting operation of 297complex operations,controlling 334

connections, displaying 269geometry, hiding 123hiding 122, 124sets 297, 302skin 298

deformPartition 307Degree option 103Delete All Objects by Type

option 74Delete by Type option 73Delete Current Layout option 215Delete key 72Delete layer 131Delete Marking Menu option 360Delete Shelf option 342deleting

by type 73channels 73hotkeys 365icons 354marking menu items 356marking menus 360objects 72objects by type 74options, setting 73plug-ins 337referenced files 183shelves 342

Dense Wireframe Accelerationoption (NT) 121

INDEX


379

dependency graph 263displaying lights 277displaying textures 277how to use 276materials 277rebuilding 285shading groups 277types of nodes 276understanding the 276

Depth attributeOutput Settings attributes 56

depth filedescription, for cameras 56

Depth Of Field 55Depth Of Field attribute 55Depth Type

Closest Visible Depth 56Furthest Visible Depth 56Output Settings attributes 56

device drivers, plug-ins 334directories, mapping missing 173Disable Nodes command 68disabling

Hotbox 35modules 329

Disk Cache OptionsSave Scene As Options 167

Display Field Chart attribute 58Display Film Gate attribute 57Display Layer Options window 132display layers 130, 134

attributes 136default 300import options 324index number 324merge options 137, 324options 132selecting all objects in 72

Display Level attribute 160Display Local Axis option 87Display menu 115Display Options attributes

cameras 57display performance 121

improving 120, 126Display Polygon Count 118Display Resolution attribute 58Display Rotate Pivot option 85Display Safe Action attribute 58Display Safe Title attribute 58Display Scale Pivot option 85Display Time

Pop-up Help 317

displayingentire graph in view 291grid 115hidden objects 288horizontal graph 295objects 115, 120objects as semi-transparent 120up and downstreamconnections 278

vertical graph 295distance

locators 107, 108, 109locators, specifying translatevalues 109

measuring 107point, snapping 108

Distance Cutoff option 102, 103Distance Tool 107Dolly

Bounding Box camera setting 50camera settings 50Local camera setting 50Snap box dolly to camerasettings 50

Surface camera setting 50Dolly Tool 50dollying

cameras 50graph view 289selected region 290

Don’t Ignore when Renderingoption 225

downstream connections 278dragging

node from Outliner orMultilister 280

to reconnect nodes 284Drawing Exchange File file

format 174Driven by Anim Curve show

option 254Driven by Expression show

option 254driven keys 232, 247Duplicate Input Connections

option 74Duplicate option 74Duplicate Options window 74Duplicate Upstream Graph

option 74Duplicate with Transform 75duplicating

objects 74options 74

DXFexporting 189file format 174file format, exporting file in 189

dynamicsmenus 20

EEast zone marking menu 37echoing last action 82edges

hard, displaying 321numbering 322paint-selecting 148, 149selecting 149soft 321

Edges display option 321Edit Bookmarks option 66Edit Commands tab 339Edit Layer 131Edit Marking Menu button 355Edit Membership Tool 305Edit menu 69edit mode 85

moving a pivot point 85pinning pivot points 86

edit pointsdisplaying on new curves orsurfaces 321

editingmarking menu items 356

editing objects 286editors 207

Attribute 207Attribute Spread Sheet 212Channel Box 236Color Chooser 233Component 209Connection 208Expression 232, 247general 207limiting information displayedin 258

Outliner 249Performance Settings 333Plug-in Manager 334Relationship 207

elevationdescription, for azimuthelevation tool 51

ellipses (...) in graph 290


380

INDEX

empty groups 80nodes 255, 271

Enable Nodes command 68Environment attributes 57environment variables

setting 195EPS file import 178evaluation order, position in

Outliner 257Execute Script Nodes option 163Expand Popup List modifier

option 326expanding

nodes 251, 266set contents 299

Explore file format 174ExploreGeo file format 174Export All option 185Export Selected As Reference

option 181Export Selection option 182, 186exporting

animation curves 191DXF 189files 189IGES 189move files 187obj file format 188plug-ins 188referenced files 182rendering information 186RenderMan 190scene contents 185

Expression Editor 207default, selecting 317opening from AttributeEditor 232

opening from Channel Box 247expressions 186

connections, displaying 269delete options 73

Expressions option 186Extension Padding option 191eyedropper tool 234

FF Stop attribute 56

facescenters, displaying 321display options 321normals, displaying 321numbering 322paint-selecting 148selecting 148

falloffcurve modification 104linear modification 102power modification 103Proportional Modificationtool 102

script modification 103Far Clip Plane attribute 46Fast Interaction option 318Field Chart option 53file formats

avi 175movie 175

File Type option 163, 167, 177, 186files

absolute paths 170exporting in IGES, DXF, or AliasWire 189

for shelf button icons 346formats 174, 175importing 175, 180management 161Particulars 182reference options 181referenced 180, 181, 182, 183,184

relative paths 170saving 165searching for 171size, reducing 168translators, plug-ins 334

Fill option 54Film Aspect Ratio attribute 55Film Back attributes 55Film Back Properties attributes 45Film Gate attribute 55Film Gate option 53Film Offset attribute 55filters 258

moving to shelf 153Flat animation option 325Flat Shade options 120Fly Tool 52focal length 43Focus Distance attribute 55Focus Region Scale attribute 56

focus, command line 317Force to Add option 309Frame All option

Maya View menu 52Frame Rate 118

Heads Up Display 118frame rate, playback 329Frame Selection 52Free playback option 329free-form hierarchy 274, 276

creating 273Freeze Transformations option 153Freeze. See Templates option 130freezing transformations 153frustrum 53

renderable 53Furthest Visible Depth

Depth Type 56

Ggarbage can 344gate 53General

Preferences option 84General Editors 207

Attribute Spreadsheet 212option 208Performance Settings 333Plug-in Manager 334selecting 208tools settings 332

geo file format 174geometry

file format 174hiding 122, 123

Geometry Motion Blur option 191Gimbal manipulator 92Gimbal rotate mode 93Gimbal rotation manipulator 94global axis 87

changing from commandline 88

global rotate mode 93Global Scale manipulator

option 319Graph Editor, limiting information

displayed in 258graphics card, Dense Wireframe

Acceleration option 121

INDEX


381

graphsclearing display 286dollying view 289navigation techniques 289rebuilding 295tracking 289turning off updates 293viewing 289

gridcorners, snapping to 139default 116displaying 115hiding 116options 116snapping to 139, 140specifying appearance 116

Grid option 116Grid Options window 116ground plane 42Group option 176Group option. Hierarchies (3D

Studio Max). See Groupoption 78

Group Options window 78Group Pivot option 78Group Under option 78groups

empty 80imported objects 176nodes 255, 270objects 78options 78Ungroup options 80

HHalf (12 fps) playback option 329Handle Size manipulator

option 319handles

active 89active or current 84attributes 84color 84keyframing active 84manipulator 84scale manipulator 94size, specifying 319sizing 84

hard edgesbackface culling option 322displaying 321

Hardware Fog option 121

Hardware Texturing option 121Heads Up Display

changing colors 330Heads Up Display menu 118Height animation option 328help 39

A|W web site 39browser options 317popup 39

hidden objects 288Hide Cloth option 122Hide Deformers option 122, 124Hide Geometry option 122, 123Hide Kinematics option 122, 123Hide menu 122Hide Selection option 122Hide Unselected CVs 122Hide Unselected Objects 122hiding

animation markers 122camera manipulators 122light manipulators 122objects 122texture placements 122

Hierarchies (3D Studio Max). SeeUngroup option 79

hierarchy 207centering node in view 292creating 80limiting selection to 151names, prefixing 256removing objects from 81terminology 250

Hierarchy List. See Outliner 207highlighting

colors, changing 330polygons 321

historyaccessing 95construction 186modifying 247node, selecting 96

History option 186Hold Focus command line

option 317Horizontal Film Aperture attribute

see Camera Aperture attributeHorizontal Film Offset attribute

see Film Offset attributehorizontal layout of graph 279, 295Horizontal option 54

Hotbox 352appearance, changing 34disabling 35displaying 33hiding menubars 35making transparent 35marking menus 352menus, changing 34region option 352Style option 35style, changing 35turning off 35using 33using marking menu in 36zones 33, 36

hotkeysassigning 362customizing 339deleting 365marking menus 37, 352, 355snapping 140transformations 83

Hotkeys option 35Hotkeys window 35, 362

categories 365HSV color model 234html browser 317hulls

displaying on new curves orsurfaces 321

Hypergraph 263layout, updating 286limiting information displayedin 258

menu bar 264opening 263tool bar 264using to select a view 52

IIcon Filename option 357icon names 349icons

bitmap images 345changing on shelves 345deleting from markingmenu 354

images on shelves 345xpm images 345

IGESexporting 189exporting file in 189file format 174


382

INDEX

IgnoreSelection Priority modifieroption 326

when Rendering option 225IK Handle Size kinematics

option 319IK handles

adding 287display size, setting 319hiding 123selecting 287

Illustrator file import 178image

displaying as background 274file format 175icon 345

Image attributeOutput Settings 56

Image Plane attributeEnvironment attributes 57

Import option 175, 176Import Reference option 181importing

animation curves 179files 175

by copying 180by reference 181merging layers 137

move files 177plug-in 188

improving speed, Hypergraph 293In Main Maya Window option 223In Separate Window option 223In Tangents, default 325Include These Inputs option 186Including Texture Info option 186information, plug-ins 335Initial Default option 146Initial Graphics Exchange

Specification format 174initialParticleSE 300initialShadingGroup 300input

curve 97nodes 278

INPUTS 237instance 76

DAG nodes 77deleting from hierarchy 81limitations 76

interactivedisplay 121

Interactive Shading option 121

interfaceturning elements off or on 37

interpolated curvestolerance, setting 323

intialParticleSE 300Invert Selection 70invisible

nodes 268objects 288

Invisible Manips option 242isoparms

curve, snapping to 141

Jjiggle deformer

Disk Cache Options 167Joint Size

kinematics option 319joint1skinPartition 307joints

display size, setting 319hiding 123

Journal Command attribute 58Journal option 53

KKeep Hard Edges option 322Keep Only a Reference option 186Keep Original option 97Keep Wire option 322Key Selected option 216Key Ticks option 328Keyable tab, Attribute

Spreadsheet 212keys

attribute, setting 231, 244creating 216options 325snapping option 328

kinematicshiding 122, 123

LLabel option 357Label tab 339labels

icons on shelves 347Lasso Tool 70, 83

latticeshiding 124points, displaying andhiding 126

shape, displaying andhiding 127

Layer Attributes option 136, 138Layer Editor

Add Selected Objects 131Attributes 131displaying 131Membership 131Remove Objects 131Remove Selected Object(s) fromLayers 132

Select All Unused Layers 132Select Objects 131

layersassigning objects to 132attributes 136, 138creating 132display and render 130import options 324index number 324merge options 137, 324moving sets to 298naming 132removing objects from 133renaming 132selecting all objects in 72

layouts 370adding to shelf 371associated with scene 371Attribute Spread Sheet 215changes to 374configuring 371creating 371deleting 373history, maintaining 374Scene Independent 371selecting 370updating graph 286

Layouts option 62Layouts option, Panels menu 64leaf, selecting only 151lens 43Lens Properties attributes 45

INDEX


383

level of detail 157adding a level 159changing thresholddistances 159

creating 157Display Level attribute 160orthographic cameras 160previewing several objects 160re-ordering levels 159Threshold attribute 159

light linkingRelationship Editor 217

lighting 60Lighting menu 60lights

barn doors 129center of interest 129cone angle 129cycling index 129decay regions 129dependency graph 277hiding 122manipulators 97, 128, 129manipulators, hiding andshowing 122

penumbra 129pivot 129

limiting selectionby object type 146by task 152object and component 146to hierarchy items 151to template objects 151

Line Pick Size manipulatoroption 319

Line Size manipulator option 319linear

modification falloff 102Linear animation option 325Linear units option 322lines

thickness, manipulators 319live, making objects 156Load Deferred References,

option 163Load Menus option 360Loaded

plug-in option 335loading

plug-ins 188referenced files 183

LocalDolly camera setting 50

localaxis 87coordinates 43rotate mode 93rotation axes, displaying andhiding 127

space, distance locator 109space, Move tool 90

Local Space option, pivot points 86location

of projects 170locators

arc length 112creating 106distance 107, 109distance, moving 108moving 106parameter values 110parameter, moving 111repositioning from AttributeEditor 106

transforming 106Lock current selection icon 154Locked

Tumble camera setting 49locking

attribute values 232, 246pivot points 86transform tool ormanipulator 154

LOD 157lod 157Long Attribute Names option,

Attribute Spreadsheed 213Look At Selection 52Look through Barn Doors

option 129Look Through Selected option,

Panels menu 52Looping animation option 329

Mma file format 174Make Live option 156Make New Layers Current 132managing files 161

manipulators 83active 89camera 97

displaying 128hiding 122

Channel Box 242color 84combined Move/Rotate/Scale 100

default object 98displaying 128Gimbal 92, 94handles 84

displaying and hiding 127light 97


locking 154Move curve on surface 91Move tool 90pivot point 85Rotate tool 92scale tool 94Show Manipulator tool 95sizing handles 84snapping 141thickness 319

Mapping missing directories 173marker

animation path 92hiding 122

marking menusbackup files for 360creating 352customizing 339, 351default 36deleting 360deleting icons from 354deleting items 356editing items 356Hotbox 36, 314hotkeys 37, 355MEL scripts on 359modifying 355restoring backups of 360right mouse button 38submenus, adding 358using 36zones 352

Marking Menus window 351marking views 66mask

description, for cameras 56Mask attribute

Output Settings attributes 56


384

INDEX

material channels, overriding 322materials dependency graph 277Maya

A|W web site 39ASCII file format 174Binary file format 174Embedded Language fileformat 174

projects 169scene information 170version and release date 39

MayaToIgesDxf plug-in 188Measure menu 107measure tools 107measuring arc lengths 112MEL 103

file format 174plug-ins 334

MEL commands 208adding to marking menu 357,359

adding to shelf 343customizing on shelf 349scene orientation 42

MEL scriptsadding to marking menu 357,359

adding to shelf 343customizing on shelf 349propMod script 103, 105

membership editing 207Membership option 133memory, improving use of 168menu bars

hiding 35Hypergraph 264Outliner 250

menu optionsadding to shelves 342option boxes 30

Menu Set preference 316menu sets 20

Hotbox 33menu_ChangePanelLayout.mel 31

4menu_ChangePanelType.mel 314menu_ChangeSelectionMask.mel 3

14menu_CommonModelingPanes.mel

314menu_ControlPaneVisibility.mel 3

14

menuscontext sensitive 267Hotbox 34option boxes 30quick access 33selecting 20

merging display layers 137, 324microCAD systems file format 174Minibar 83, 88, 93, 94

adding tool to shelf 342modeling

aids 139menus 20

models, complex 120Modifier Stack. See construction

history 186Modifiers (3D Studio Max). See

deformers 123modules

disabling 329options 329selecting 20

Motion Blur attributesCreate Camera Options 47

motion path markers 92mouse

entering values in ChannelBox 243

marking menu buttons 38, 352suspending complex operationsduring interaction 333

Mouse button(s) option 352move command 100move files 175

exporting 187importing 177

Move manipulator 91Move Tool 83Move tool 88, 90, 154

coordinate system 90motion path markers 92restricting movement 89tips 89

Move Up and Down shelfbuttons 345

Move/Rotate/Scale tool 100movement, restricting to one

axis 89moving

numeric values 98, 100selection limitations to shelf 153

Nnamespaces 176native

ASCII file format 174binary file format 174

Near Clip Plane attribute 46New Curves option 321New Layer button 132new scene configuration

Starting New ScenesPreferences 317

New Surfaces option 321next view 293No Gate option 53No Manips option 242node state 230nodes 250, 265

animated 266, 280attribute names in dependencygraph 278, 279

behavior, changing 230child 250, 254, 265, 270collapsing 251, 266connecting 282containing param curves 266,280

controlling 253DAG 77default 175displaying underworld 268dragging from Outliiner orMultilister 280

dragging to reconnect 284empty group 255, 271enabling and disabling 68expanding 251, 266framing in Hypergraphview 291

group 255, 270history, selecting 96input 278invisible 267, 268moving relative position 272output 278parent 250, 254, 265, 270plug-ins 334renaming 256, 287reordering in outliner 257selecting 256, 286shape 251, 252, 266, 268slanted boxes 266, 280subnodes 265, 266transform 250, 266types 254

INDEX


385

nonlinears, hiding 124non-sacred tool 22normal

layer 134Normal (24 fps) playback

option 329normals

size on polygons 322North zone, marking menu 36numbering

edges 322faces 322vertices 322

numeric input field 28moving, rotating, or scalingfrom 98

numeric valuesabsolute and relative 98

NURBScomponents, displaying andhiding 127

curvesusing to create falloff 105

curves, hiding 123display options 321smoothness 127surfaces, hiding 123

Oobj file format 174

exporting to 165, 166, 188Object Components option 126Object Details 118

Heads Up Display 118Object selection mode 146objectName 237

objectsassigning to layers 132attributes 82, 288components, displaying andhiding 126

deleting 72displaying 115, 120duplicating 74editing 69, 286editing attributes of 288file format 174grouping 78, 176hiding 122, 288invisible 288limiting selection 146live 156moving 88, 100parenting 80, 254plug-ins 334removing from hierarchy 81removing from layers 133rotating 92scaling 94selecting 69, 286selection

mode 326priorities 153

shape, changing 89showing for just one view 115smoothness, controlling 321snapping to grid, curve, point, orview plane 140

space coordinate system, Movetool 90

templates 130, 151transforming 83ungrouping 79unparenting 81untemplating 130

objExport plug-in 188On File Save compression

option 324Open Scene option 162opening

Expression Editor 232, 247scene file 161scene files 162

operations, complex,supsending 333

Optimize Scene Size option 168Optimize Scene Size Options

window 168optimizing scene size 168Option Box Command(s)

option 357

option boxes 30options 102Orbit Camera. See Tumble Tool 49order

rotation 92rotation channels 94

orientation, changing 42origin

setting transformations to 153Origin Axis 118

Heads Up Display 118Origin option 87Ortho step

Tumble camera setting 49Orthographic Camera 47orthographic camera

width of 48Orthographic option, Panels

menu 59orthographic view 43

creating 59Orthographic views

camera settings 49Orthographic Views attributes

Attribute Editor, cameras 58Orthographic Width 48Oscillate animation option 329Out Tangents, default 325Outliner 207, 249

attributes, displaying in 252limiting information displayedin 258

menu bar 250navigating 251nodes

displaying in 254renaming 256reordering 257selecting 256

opening 249panel 249

output nodes 278Output Settings attributes 56OUTPUTS 237overlapping set members,

preventing 306Overlay Label tab 339Overscan camera attribute 53Overscan option 54


386

INDEX

Ppackages

disabling 329options 329

Paint Selection Tool 148paint operations 149settings 149

Paint Set Membership Tool, editingsets 305

paint-selecting components 148palette in Color Chooser 235paletteColors.mel 314Panel Configurations 168Panel Editor 367Panel option 61panels 368

arrangements, saving 370arranging 371creating 368deleting 370layouts, selecting 370managing 368renaming 368

Panels menu 61panes, resizing 371param curves 266, 280parameter

locators, editing 111range, changing 97values, displaying 110

Parameter Tool 110Parent option 80Parent Options window 80Parent to World option 81parents 250, 254, 265, 270

breaking relationship 256, 271creating 255, 271object hierachies 255object hierarchies 80removing object from 81

Partial curve range option 97partitions 306

adding sets to 309created by Maya 307created by you 306creating 308default 307defined 306displaying 308removing 308sets, removing from 308

pathabsolute 170animation marker, moving 92plug-ins 335

Penumbra option 129performance improvements 168Performance Settings 333

window 333performance, improving 121, 126,

230, 318, 333perspective 44, 59

creating view 59view 58

Perspective option 52, 53, 58perspective view 43pick mask 146pinning pivot points 86pitch 51Pivot camera option 128Pivot light option 129pivot points 86

defined 84displaying 85, 127displaying and hiding 127manipulator 85moving 85pinning 86temporary 86unpinning or unlocking 87World Space 86

Pixel Samples option 191placements, texture 122planes

hiding 122view 139

playbackbuttons 22frame rate, setting 329range, setting 328

Playback Range 22Playback Speed option 329Playback Start/End options 328

plug-insAPI version 335auto loading 335features 335importing 188information about 335loading 334manager 334MayaToIges 188objExport 188path 335references, removing 337unloading 336version 335

point snap hotkey 140Point to Point option 142points

cluster 302measuring distancebetween 107

snapping 139, 142snapping to 140

Points option 120Poly Count

Heads Up Display 118polygon count 118Polygons

components, displaying andhiding 127

polygonsborder width 321display options 321displaying as triangles 321faces, displaying 321normal size, specifying 322numbering faces, edges, orvertices 322

surfaces, hiding 123texture border, thickeningdisplay 321

Pop HotBox hotkey 35popup help 39popup menu

Channel Box 243Popup Menu Selection modifier

option 326Popup Submenu option 358Positional tolerance option 323power modification falloff 103PowerAnimator file formant 174Predefined Bookmarks option 66pre-defined tabs, Attribute

Spreadsheet 216

INDEX


387

preferencesfiles 314saving using userSetup.mel 315setting 313stored location 314

Prefix with option 186Preserve Position option 78, 80, 81PreView file format 175Previous State Size manipulator

option 319Previous View option 59previous view, returning to 293priority

for object selection 153priority preference 327projects

categories and locations 170creating new 171definition of 169directories 169editing 172setting 172

propmod 101propMod script 103, 105Proportional Modification tool 101,

102proportional scaling 94proportional transformations 101

falloff 102

Qquality

shading 120querying component data 209Queue option 329Queue Size option 82, 329Quick Layout buttons 61Quick Select Set option 304

RRadio Button option 357radio buttons in marking

menus 357RAM, freeing 329Range Slider

options 328range, parameter 97rebuilding graph 285, 295

Recent Commandsoption 34

Recent Files 162Redo option 82redoing actions 82redraw options 333reference

layers 134Reference Editor 181, 183Reference option 181referenced files 180, 181

cleaning up 184exporting 182, 185importing 182, 185loading/unloading 183removing 183replacing 184selecting objects from 183

referencesdeferred 163plug-in 337

refresh options 333Region of Affect 318, 319region, dollying 290Relationship Editor 207, 217

creating relationships 220editing sets 305limiting display 219limiting information displayedin 258

objects, displaying 218opening 217, 298relationships, displaying 218sets 303view options, setting 218

Relationship Editors option 298relationships 221

adding members 221creating 220displaying 218editing 217removing members 221selecting members 221

relative paths of files 170relative values

command line 100entering 99, 215, 242

release date 39Remember this Layout option 215Remove Instance option 81Remove Reference option 181removing referenced files 183

renaminglayers 132nodes 256, 287

Render File Locations 170render layers 130, 137renderable

layers 137Renderable attribute 56rendering

exporting information 186menus 20resolution 53

renderlayersattributes 138

RenderManexporting 190format 174

renderPartition 307reorder shelves 345reordering

nodes in Outliner 257shelves 345

Repeat on Hold sound option 327Repeat Size sound option 327repeating actions 82replacing referenced files 184resetting transformations 153Resolution Gate option 53resolution, wireframe 318Resolve Name Clashes with

option 176restoring backup marking

menus 360reversing actions 82revolve history node 96revolving cameras 49RGB color model 234RIB file format 174ribExport plug-in 190right mouse button, marking

menus 38Roll Scale setting 51Roll Tool 51rolling cameras 51root, selecting only 151


388

INDEX

rotateaxis 94channels, animating 94command 100modes 93numeric values 98, 100objects 92order 92, 94pivot points, displaying 127

Rotate Tool 83Rotate tool 92, 154Rotation type setting 51Run Up From dynamics option 323Run Up To Current Time dynamics

option 323

SSafe Action option 54Safe Title option 54Save All Shelves button 339Save Panel Layouts with File

option 168Saved Layouts

selecting 370saving

Attribute Spread Sheetlayouts 215

files 165scene information 170

scalecommand 100numeric values 98, 100objects 94pivot points 127proportionally 94

Scale setting 50, 51Scale Tool 83Scale tool 94, 154

manipulator 94scene file

creating 161opening 161

Scene File Locations 170

scene hierarchy 266automatic layout 274creating free-form 273defined 263displaying backgroundimage 274

displaying special nodes andconnections 268

parenting 270rearranging nodes 272terminology 250, 265

Scene Independent layouts 371scenes

display performance 121exporting 185hierarchy 207importing 175lighting 60opening 162optimizing size 168referencing 180saved information 170too big to fit window 368

Schematic window. SeeHypergraph 263

screenrefresh options 333

Script Editor option 208Script Editor, adding command to

shelf 343Script Nodes 163scripts 208

customizing on shelf 349modification falloff 103on marking menus 357, 359propMod 103, 105

sculpt objects, hiding 124searching for files 171Select All button 150Select All by Type option 71Select All History option 96Select All option 70Select Hierarchy and Combinations

icon 151Select paint operation 149Select Reference Contents

option 181Select Tool 83

selecting 221all objects 70components 147, 148CVs 148, 149edges 148, 149faces 148, 149IK handles 287inverting a selection 70Lasso Tool 70multiple objects 70multiple text boxes 214, 241nodes in Outliner 256objects 69, 286, 297objects by name 72objects by type 71objects in a set 72objects individually 69template objects 151vertices 148, 149

selectionhandles, displaying 127limiiting by object type 146limiting by component 147limiting by task 152masks 37, 146priority 153, 327

Selection Mask options window 89Set Driven Key option 232, 247Set Project option 172

INDEX


389

setsaddiing to partitions 309adding members 305automatically created 297cluster 298collapsing 300created

by Maya 300by you 299

creating 303creating for easy objectselection 304

default naming of 299defaultLayer 300defaultLightSet 300defaultObjectSet 300defined 297deformer 297, 302displaying in RelationshipEditor 305

editing 217expanding a set’s contents 299explained 298indentation 300initialShadingGroup 300intialParticleSE 300member weights 298membership, editing 305overlapping members,preventing 306

quick select 304removing 304

from partition 308members 305

selecting 304contents only 300quickly 304

shading group 300simplifying selection with 297skin point 298, 302user-created 297, 298uses 297

settingkey attributes 231performance 333project 172

Shade options 120Shaded Divisions option 321shaded objects

smoothness, controlling 321wireframe on 318

shadingapplying to all objects 121interactive 121quality 120

shading groupschanging selected 284display example 277displaying in dependencygraph 277

sets 300sets Maya creates 300

Shading menu 120shape nodes 251, 266

displaying 268displaying in Outliner 252

SHAPES section 237Shelf Contents tab 339shelves

bookmarks, adding 67commands, adding to 343copying items 344creating 339, 341customizing 339deleting 342editing 339icons, changing 345items, adding to 342layouts adding to 371MEL commands,customizing 349

moving filters to 153moving items between 344options 348removing items from 344renaming 345reordering 345reordering items on 344using 21

Shelves tab 339Shelves window, opening 339Short Attribute Names option,

Attribute Spreadsheet 213Show All Panes option 64Show Auxiliary Nodes 262Show Manipulator Tool 83Show Manipulator tool 95, 154

default manipulator 98history node 96lights and cameras 97

Show menu 115, 258Show Only Viewing Panes

option 64Show Selected Columns Only

option 215Show Text box 258Shutter Angle

description, for cameras 47Shutter Angle attribute 57

shutters on spotlight 129Single File Output option 191Single Marquee Select modifier

option 326size

handles 319IK handle 319joints 319manipulators 319scene, optimizing 168

skin pointssets 298, 302

slanted boxes 266, 280Smart Transform option 74Smooth Shade options 120smooth skin influences

hiding 124smoothness

setting 321Snap

to Curves option 139to Grids option 139to Points option 139to View Planes option 139

Snap Align Objects option 142, 144snap axis 142Snap box dolly to

camera settings 50Snap to curves icon

for distance measure 108Snap Tolerance 327snapping 139

aligning objects 142along a constraint axis 141animation option 328distance measure point 108hotkeys 140icons 139to a curve on surface 141to a curve or curve onsurface 139

to a point 139to a view plane 139to an isoparm curve 141to grid corners 139

soft edgesbackface culling 322displaying 321

sound 164animation options 327File Offset option 164repeating on hold 327

sound synching 328


390

INDEX

South zonemarking menu 37

space bar 33Special Effects attributes

cameras 57Specify Selected Lights option 61speed of Hypergraph,

mproving 293Spline animation option 325spread sheet, attribute 207Spreadsheet window. See Attribute

Spread Sheet 212Standard Manips option 242Static Channels, delete options 73Status Line 20Stepped

Tumble camera setting 49Stepped animaton option 325subCurve 97Subdivision Surface

Smoothness 127Subdivision Surfaces

components, displaying andhiding 127

Submenu Editor 358submenus, adding to marking

menus 358subnodes 265, 266Sudivision surfaces, hiding 123Surface

Dolly camera setting 50Surface Divisions option 321surface history 95surfaces

arc lengths, measuring 112complex operations,controlling 333

making live 156moving curves on 91new, display options 321parameter values,displaying 110

smoothness, controlling 321suspending complex

operations 333

Ttabs

pre-defined, AttributeSpreadsheet 216

Tangential tolerance option 323

tangents, weighted 325Tape. See Measure menu 107task, limiting selection to 152Tear Off Copy option, Panels

menu 62Tear Off option, Panels menu 62template

layer 134template objects

creating 130limiting selection to 151returning to standarddisplay 130

untemplating 130Templates option 130text boxes

selecting multiple 214, 241texture border

thickening display 321Texture Border option 321Texture Placements option 122textures

displaying in dependencygraph 277

graph display example 284mapping to attributes 233

Three Points to Three Pointsoption 142

ThresholdOutput Settings attribute 57

Threshold attribute 159TIFF file format 175time ranges, setting 328Time Slider 22time slider

height, adjusting 328key ticks option 328options 328

time to video standard timecode,default 328

Time units option 322Timecode animation option 328Timecode Offset option 328timecodes

matching timing fromvideotape 328

Toggle All button 150Toggle paint operation 149toggling

CV selection 149edge selection 149face selection 149vertices selection 149

tool bar, Hypergraph 264Tool Box 21, 31tool settings 332Tool Settings option 332Tool Settings window 90tools 83

adding to shelf 342adding to shelves 342camera 49defined 30dragging to shelf 339duplicating on shelf 344Minibar 83plug-ins 334setting options 332

tooltips 39Track Geometry setting 50Track Scale setting 50Track Tool 49tracking

cameras 49graph view 289

transferring objects to layers 132transformations

combining 100freezing and resetting 153Move/Rotate/Scale tool 100nodes 250, 266pivot points 84rotate attributes 94tools, locking 154using Numeric Input field 99

transforming objectsfrom command line 100Move tool 88moving tips 89restricting movement 89rotation 92

transition speed, changing 292Transparency Based depth

Output Settings attributes, forcameras 57

triad option 90triangles, displaying polygons

as 321Truck Camera. See Track Tool 49Try to Add option 309

INDEX


391

TumbleLocked camera setting 49Ortho step camera setting 49Orthographic views camerasettings 49

Stepped camera setting 49Tumble camera about camerasettings 49

Tumble pivot camera setting 49Tumble scale camera setting 49

Tumble camera aboutcamera settings 49

Tumble pivotTumble camera setting 49

Tumble Pivot attribute 58Tumble Tool 49tweaking construction history 154Twice (48 fps) playback option 329Two Points to To Points option 142Two Sided Lighting option 60type

deleting object componentsby 73

deleting objects by 74selecting by 71

UUI elements


Uncompressed option 324underworld nodes, displaying 268undo

actions 82setting number of 329

Undo option 82, 329Ungroup option 79Ungroup Options window 80ungrouping

objects 79Units options 322units preferences 322unloading

plug-ins 336referenced files 183

unlockingattributes 232, 247pivot points 87tools 154

Unmap Key button 35unparenting objects 81

unpinning pivot points 87Unselect All button 150Unselect brush option 149unselected objects, hiding 122unselecting

CVs 148, 149edges 148faces 148vertices 148, 149

untemplate 130Up Axis coordinate system

option 322up axis, changing 42update options, Hypergraph 292Update View animation option 329upstream and downstream

connections 278Use All Lights option 60Use Current Layer 133Use Current Layer option 133Use Default Lighting option 60Use Marking Menu in option 352Use Namespaces option 176, 186Use Previously Specified Lights

option 60Use Selected Lights option 60Use Verbose Names option 163,

167Use Verbose Names options 186User defined anim curve option 104User defined script option 103, 104user interface

file, turning off creation 168preferences files 314

userColors.mel 314user-created sets 297, 298userHotkeys.mel 314userNamedCommands.mel 314userPrefs.mel 314userRGBColors.mel 314userSetup.mel 315UV linking

Relationship Editor 217Update 90

Vvalues

absolute 100numeric, entering 98relative 100

versionand release date 39

vertex normals, displaying 321Vertical Film Aperture attribute

see Camera Aperture attributeVertical Film Offset attribute

see Film Offset attributevertical layout of graph 279, 295Vertical option 54vertices 149

aligning 141display options 321numbering 322paint-selecting 148selecting 148, 149

Vertices option 321view

centering branch 292centering node hierarchy 292centering nodes 291changing transistion speed 292dollying graph 289history 293next 293returning to prior 293tracking graph 289

View Arrangement option, Windowmenu 64

View Axis 118Heads Up Display 118

view menu bars, hiding 35view planes, snapping to 139, 140views

arranging 61changing in current panel 37displaying 64laying out 64marking 66saving in layouts 371selecting with Hypergraph 52switching between 37

Wwalk throughs 52WAVE file format 174Waveform Display sound

option 327waveform, displaying 327Wavefront, exporting to 188web site 39Weighted Tangents key option 325weights, set member 298


392

INDEX

West zone marking menu 37When Opening option

Preferences 317When Saving option

Preferences 317white boxes in dependency

graph 278, 279Whole Face polygon selection

option 327Window Options option,

Hotbox 35Window Selection help browser

option 317Window Visibility help browser

option 317windowPrefs.mel 314windows

changing layout 36wire

file format 174wireframe

backface culling 322change color 119change color to default 119displaying 120displaying on shadedobjects 318

option 120resolution 318shade option 120

Wireframe ColorDisplay menu 119

Wireframe Colorschanging palette 119

Wireframe on Shaded option 318working units options 322World Coordinate System

option 42world space 42

Move tool 90World Space option 86wrap influences, hiding 124

Xxpm images for shelf icons 345X-ray shade option 120XYZ coordinate system 41

Yyaw 51

Yaw Pitch Tool 51yellow nodes 287Y-up orientation 41

Zzones

Hotbox 33marking menu 352marking menu defaults 36

Zoom Scale setting 51Zoom Tool 51zooming cameras 51Z-up orientation 42

Maya 4 Basics

Documents

maya painteffects

maya fur

maya fx

starting maya

maya cloth

maya builder

maya artisan

maya workspace